Double or Nothing
by TheLostMaximoff
Summary: Sequel to 'Shadowboxing'. Cass is back in Gotham and back as Batgirl but a deadly new drug ring threatens to tear apart everything between her and Tim. TimxCass fic.
1. Homecoming

Double or Nothing

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. If I did, that story arc in Robin would've ended completely differently. I'm reposting this. Hope this fic turns out as well as its predecessor. R/R.

(Author's Note): For those of you just tuning in, this fic is a direct sequel to my previous one entitled "Shadowboxing". If you want to get the full story on Tim, Cass, and the events that transpired between them then you should probably read that one first. Also, this fic is going to be slightly AU since it's keeping with the continuity of "Shadowboxing".

He studied the murky skyline of Gotham through the night-vision lenses in his mask. Bruce Wayne's eyes narrowed as he continued perching on top of a building ledge. He had just finished stopping a bank robbery. Usually, something that mundane meant that bigger trouble was brewing on the horizon. Batman had spent enough time skulking through the streets of Gotham to know that small-time crimes only meant that bigger criminals were waiting in the shadows to try something huge. Batman smirked at the thought. They weren't safe in the shadows, not from him.

"Armored car," informed Oracle through his radio receiver, "It's the Riddler again. I wouldn't worry, Robin's handling it." Batman gave a slight nod. He had confidence in his partner. Tim had proven himself more than capable of handling almost any situation he had encountered. Plus, in Batman's humble opinion, the Riddler was at most a second-rate villain. Tim had run up against more daunting tasks than stopping a simple armored car robbery.

"Jumper," informed Batman as he tapped the side of his head to get a better magnification on his lenses, "Hang on, it shouldn't take more than a few minutes." He shot out a grappling line and swung away from his perch. The jumper was young, barely even an adult. Batman inwardly sighed before focusing his attention on the task at hand. The boy's body was already rushing to meet the ground. Batman could see the kid flailing his arms helplessly as if something was attacking him. He began making preliminary guesses even as he swung towards the boy. His first idea was drugs. He had seen it often enough in his line of work.

"Be still," ordered Batman as he grabbed the boy in mid-air. The boy didn't seem inclined to take Batman's advice. He continued struggling, yelling and wailing incoherently that there was something after him and that he had to get away from it. Batman had already seen something like this before. Hallucinogens. He didn't think it could be anything else.

"Look at me," snapped Batman as he quickly landed on a rooftop and lightly slapped the boy in the face. This action seemed to jumpstart something in the kid's brain as he gave Batman a look of sudden realization. That look quickly turned into one of terror.

"Get back!" shouted the boy as he suddenly moved away from Batman, "Get . . . get back!" The kid was shaking, trembling with fear. Batman continued his theory. He had only seen one type of substance that could invoke this much terror in a seemingly ordinary person. However, the Scarecrow was still safely locked away in Arkham as far as Batman or the authorities knew.

"I'm not going to hurt you," assured Batman as he watched the kid continue to back up, "Just don't move. I won't hurt you if you just don't move."

"Don't come any closer!" warned the boy as he continued backing up towards the ledge of the roof, "I'm serious." Batman wasn't going to argue with that. It had to be Scarecrow. There was no other criminal that could make people act this irrationally.

"You've been poisoned," said Batman calmly, "I'm estimating that you don't have that much longer to live. If you let me, I can take you to a hospital where they can treat you." Batman let his hands glide over his utility belt, feeling for the pouch where he keep the antitoxin they used to treat Scarecrow's fear gas. He palmed the vial and used his other hand to reach for the injection gun.

"You're all the same," railed the boy, "I'm tired of you! I'm tired of being your slave!"

"You have your whole life ahead of you," warned Batman as he loaded the injection gun, "I'm going to make sure you're still around to live it." He wasn't going to waste time trying to calm the kid down. Scarecrow's victims never thought rationally. He was going to have to take the boy down by force. Batman wasted no time. He leapt and tackled the boy to the roof.

"Get off me!" shouted the boy, "Get back! Get back!" Batman gave the kid a shot of the antitoxin. He waited the requisite few seconds to let the antidote kick in. There was one problem. The antitoxin wasn't working.

"Plan B then," muttered Batman as he gave the kid a sedative to knock him out so he could transport him to the hospital.

"We've got a problem," said Oracle.

"I'm busy," replied Batman as the boy lessened his struggling and Bruce finally managed to get a good hold on him, "This boy needs to be taken to the hospital. The antitoxin isn't working." Undoubtedly, Scarecrow must've invented some new chemical concoction to torment the citizens of Gotham with. Batman didn't waste time with theories. He shot out a grappling line and swung towards the hospital with his struggling passenger in tow. Fortunately, Gotham General Hospital wasn't far from where he was now.

"Sedate him and call the police," said Batman as soon as he landed in front of the hospital, "He's been poisoned by Scarecrow and the antitoxin isn't effective." An orderly who was standing outside quickly nodded and ran back inside to get a doctor. Batman quickly tied up the struggling boy as best he could and then vaulted back into the sky.

"What's the problem?" asked Batman.

"I was about to say the same thing," replied Oracle.

"Scarecrow has some new fear chemical," explained Batman, "He's supposed to be in Arkham. We put him there two weeks ago. I'll compare notes with the police and then we'll arrange a visit to make sure he's still there."

"I'll get on it," assured Oracle, "There's something bigger though."

"What is it?" asked Batman.

"Those fake passports I made for when we need to get out of or into the country unnoticed," explained Oracle, "One of them just turned up at Gotham Airport."

"That's impossible," replied Batman, "None of us have been out of the country since I came back with Robin and Nightwing a year ago."

"That's technically not true," reminded Oracle. Batman slowed his breathing to clear his head and suddenly understood what Oracle was talking about. One of those passports was still unaccounted for. It was the one that had been issued to Cassandra Cain.

"She's back in the city," said Batman, "She's back in _my_ city."

"Robin's heading for home," explained Oracle, "I think it's time you turned in for the night." Batman nodded to himself. The sun was rising and even he needed to get some sleep. Plus if Tim was home then perhaps he could shed some light on why Cass was back in Gotham. Bruce had heard the rundown of the case one year ago. After the Crisis, Cassandra Cain had disappeared. She had turned up again as the leader of the League of Assassins and fought Robin in a savage duel with the fate of the world at stake. Cass had saved Tim's life and the two of them had parted with Cass promising to return some day. That was the story as it had been told to Bruce by Robin. Batman knew that wasn't the whole story. Whatever the case, he intended to find out what Cass was doing in Gotham and whether she was here as a friend or as an enemy.

XXXXX

It had felt like forever since she had seen the mansion. Yet even though it had been roughly two years, Cass still felt like it was home. However, she was quite aware that all in the family weren't going to be as forgiving as Tim was. Becoming the leader of the League of Assassins and then jeopardizing the safety of the entire world wasn't something that was going to be forgotten in a simple year of absence. Yet she felt as if it _was_ forgotten at least in Tim's mind. Neither of them had mentioned it to the other on the way back to the mansion. Cass could tell that Tim didn't really see it as something worth discussing and she wasn't going to do anything to upset this balance. It was going to be hard enough to deal with the others.

"You live here?" asked Cass as she looked around Tim's "bachelor pad" as Dick had taken to calling it. Tim always rolled his eyes at that. With the way his living space was situated, his "bachelor pad" might as well still be his father's house. In fact, Bruce had wanted him to move back into the mansion but Tim liked living in the loft-style apartment that had been constructed for him out of part of the stables. He still valued his independence from Batman and was glad that Bruce respected that.

"Yeah," said Tim as he took off his mask and his cape, "Bruce set it up for me after I got back from our vacation."

"Hungary," said Cass, "Too cold for me." Tim looked at her quizzically. Cass noticed the look and blushed slightly.

"I was there," explained Cass, "I've been . . . around." For maybe the first time in a long time, Tim felt slightly apprehensive about Cass. This wasn't the best way to start any type of relationship.

"I'm sorry," said Cass suddenly, "I . . ."

"It's okay," said Tim quietly, "You're home now." She felt a slight flutter in her stomach at this. Maybe things really were going to work out after all. Maybe everyone else really would forgive her.

"Now, how about breakfast?" asked Tim, "You hungry?" Cass nodded. She had mostly slept on the flight back to Gotham. She managed to eat a bag of peanuts while she was waiting for her passport to be checked. There was a slight delay with it. She figured it was because it was an old passport and a fake one at that.

"I should've guessed," said Tim with a grin as Cass began looking through the cupboards until she found a box of Rice Krispies. He sat down at the kitchen table and took a bowl as Cass handed one to him. Tim smiled at her child-like insistence on leaning over the cereal so she could hear it after she put the milk in. Satisfied that her food was snapping, crackling, and popping at optimum efficiency, Cass dug in.

"So where'd you go?" asked Tim as he took a bite of cereal.

"Everywhere," replied Cass simply, "Mostly Asia. It's always nice there." She knew that he would have questions. You don't tell someone you love them, disappear for a year, and expect them not to have questions when you finally return.

"What'd you do?" asked Tim, letting his insatiable curiosity get the better of him yet again. He vaguely realized that perhaps he shouldn't press this subject. Cass's betrayal and semi-redemption was a touchy subject all around.

"Trained," replied Cass, "I did a lot of that. Listened a lot too." She still wasn't as verbally adept as she should be for someone her age. The awkward pauses were gone now, trained out of her thanks to months of work, but she still spoke in short, clipped sentences. It was a habit that was hard to break. Cass could tell that Tim was slightly mystified by her training methods. She grinned as she pulled her spoon back and catapulted a load of Rice Krispies into Tim's face.

"Oh very mature, young lady," joked Tim as he took a napkin and wipe the milk from his forehead.

"You're not an adult either," said Cass as she ducked before Tim's retaliatory shot could hit her. She had missed this the most. She and Tim helped each other have fun and be kids again. Life had been cruel enough to both of them. They helped each other laugh through the pain.

"I am too," challenged Tim as he took cover before Cass could hit him again.

"Are not," assured Cass as she suddenly tackled him to the floor and sat on top of his chest, "Admit it."

"I'm nothing but a mature and responsible adult," declared Tim.

"You're a big baby," responded Cass teasingly. She could see the smile threatening to form at the edges of his lips. She had forgotten how blue Tim's eyes were. It was the kind of blue that you could stare into and lose yourself in.

"I'm grown up enough to do this," assured Tim as he suddenly raised himself up and out from under Cass, kissing her on the lips. He had missed this, missed being able to love someone without fear. He was comfortable around Cass because they had been through enough together that he felt he could be completely honest with her. He couldn't lie to her even if he tried. He knew Cass would catch him at it anyway.

"Maybe," relented Cass as the two separated, "Try it again. We have to be sure." She kissed him, moving so that she was no longer on top of Tim.

"Is this how we're going to stop all our arguments?" asked Tim with a grin.

"Only if it means I win," replied Cass with a smile. Her ears suddenly perked up a little with attention. Someone was coming. She watched Tim and could tell that he heard it too.

"I never told Bruce we were . . . you know," explained Tim as he blushed, "If that's him then . . ." Cass frowned a little at what Tim was suggesting. She didn't like the idea of hiding her relationship with Tim. She wasn't intimidated by Bruce, not like she had once been. Still though, maybe it was best to have a better introduction than this.

"He still mad?" asked Cass.

"Probably," replied Tim. Cass frowned again and looked around as both of them got up from the floor. There wasn't really a place one could hide. Perhaps from an ordinary person but not from Batman.

"Somewhat," answered a gravelly voice. Tim and Cass both froze and looked over as Batman came into the room. Cass had forgotten how imposing Bruce could be. Being in his presence seemed to cause everyone in the room to feel like they were small children again. Her stomach did a little fluttering as she braced herself for the inevitable.

"Bruce, let me explain something," began Tim.

"Robin," said Batman coldly, "I want to speak with Batgirl. Alone."

"Look, Bruce," continued Tim as if he hadn't heard his mentor, "I'm an adult now and I can take care of myself. So if this is about me and Cass then . . ."

"Batgirl," snapped Bruce, "Outside. Now!" Tim opened his mouth to voice another point but Cass gently shushed him.

"It's okay," whispered Cass as she walked towards the door. She may not be as intimidated by Bruce as she once was but she was still ashamed of what she had done. She had to face the consequences of her mistake. She didn't look at Bruce as she walked through the door.

"We'll discuss it later," assured Batman as he looked at Tim. Tim didn't say anything as he watched his new girlfriend walk to the gallows. Bruce shut the door behind him and looked to find that Cass was still studying the ground.

"Look at me," said Bruce, trying his best not to yell at her. She had come back. Tim had told him how, when it had mattered the most, Cass had made the right choice. It had taken some of the sting out of her betrayal. Cass raised her head until she was at eye level with Bruce.

"I took you in. I trained you," said Bruce, "I gave you a home and a family. I let you wear that symbol. Why?"

"I made a mistake," replied Cass simply, "I'm not proud. I did some horrible things. I want to try again now." Bruce stared at her. She had turned her back on everything he and the others stood for and now she was asking for his forgiveness. What guarantee did he have that she could be trusted again?

"Give me a reason I should trust you," said Bruce, "One good reason is all I ask."

"You shouldn't trust me," explained Cass, "I hurt you. I hurt Tim. I hurt everyone. You shouldn't trust me after that. I just want one chance. Please let me try again." She couldn't give him a good reason. It took her an entire year to even start trusting herself again. There was no way she could expect him to move any faster than that.

"This is against my better judgment," began Bruce, "Tim trusts you and believes in you. That says a lot about you in my book. You should thank him."

"So I'm . . ." began Cass hopefully.

"You will go out on patrol," stated Bruce, "You will check in with Oracle every hour on the hour. Your only excuse for missing a check-in is being dead. If you miss a check-in, I will send someone to find you. If you try to disappear and pull another stunt then I will track you down personally. I _will_ find you and when I do all the training in the world won't save you from me. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," replied Cass.

"This is a gift," stated Bruce, "I would take it as quickly as I could. Aside from a place to live, this is the last gift I will give you. You'll be staying in the mansion until I'm satisfied that you won't stab us in the back again."

"I understand," said Cass, "Thank you." Bruce stared at her. He would've never admitted but he had thought of Cass as his own daughter. It had hurt when Tim had given him a rundown of the case. A year of absence couldn't exactly erase the pain of a daughter's betrayal.

"You're coming back to the house," stated Bruce as he saw Cass make for Tim's door, "_That_ is something we'll discuss when I've had enough sleep." Cass knew what "that" was. She didn't care what Bruce thought of her though. She would've assumed some other superhero identity if he had forbidden her from being Batgirl again. She wanted to prove to herself that she belonged here, that all the things these people had given her weren't a waste. Even if Bruce disapproved of her until the day he died, she wasn't going to stop fighting.

"He loves me," said Cass as she followed Bruce back towards the manor, "I love him."

"I said we'll discuss it later," repeated Bruce as he ushered her inside the manor.

XXXXX

She hadn't lost her touch. It had been a few days since Cass had put on the suit again and hit the streets. She was all business from day one. It was strange to be with Tim though. Bruce hadn't let her near him while they were both in costume. He said he wanted to keep things professional. Cass could understand that. Being around Tim made her feel different. She didn't have to worry about keeping up her guard when she was with Tim. That wasn't exactly the kind of mindset she needed when she was on the streets. Out of costume, they spent a lot of time together either at Tim's place or inside the manor where eyes were always on them. They had taken to walking through Robinson Park, sometimes at night while they were in costume although neither of them told Bruce. Still though, Cass couldn't wait to get off parole.

"BG here," said Cass into her radio, "Mugger needs pickup."

"Got it," replied Oracle. Batgirl was glad that Oracle had moved back to Gotham. It helped her feel like nothing had changed since she had left. It helped her forget what she had done.

"It's kinda quiet," said Batgirl, "Anything huge happening?"

"You're still grounded," reminded Oracle, "Let Batman and the others handle the big stuff."

"Grounded sucks," said Batgirl, "Oracle . . . you know I'm sorry." Cass had to admit that if anyone tied with Tim on her list of important people then it was Barbara. She hadn't exactly known what to expect when it came to Barbara's reaction. Barbara was good at being neutral and being professional.

"I know, kid," assured Oracle, "You can't blame us though."

"I don't," stated Batgirl, "Trust me." She needed some movement. A quick deployment of a grappling line and she was in the air, swinging through Gotham's skyline. It would be another hour before she had to check in. She wondered if she could find Tim. Being around Tim always made her feel better.

"Bank robbery," said Oracle, "Couple blocks up."

"Got it," said Batgirl as she swung onto the scene. There were two goons outside. They opened fire the second she hit the pavement. Batgirl flipped sideways and whipped two batarangs towards them. She didn't wait to see if they connected. She knew they would. She leapt towards the goons. They barely had time to realize they had been disarmed before her foot caught one's jaw while her fist took care of the other one. There was no time to celebrate. The real problem was inside.

"Should've known," muttered Batgirl as she kicked the doors open and was greeted with a round of gunfire, "Always more guns." This seemed to create general panic as hostages dove for cover. Batgirl lobbed a few smoke bombs at the bank-robbers and checked to make sure everyone was out of the line of fire. She then dove into the smoke, fists and feet flying. When the vapor cleared, she had KO'd three out of four of them.

"Drop it," ordered Batgirl as she saw the fourth one had drawn another weapon. The thug looked nervous. His hand was shaking and Cass could tell he was sweating beneath his mask. He was a nervous wreck. That only meant he would probably do something completely stupid.

"Back off," shot back the thug, "I need this."

"You need to move," stated Batgirl. The goons had rigged a charge to the vault's door. The thing was going to go off at any moment. She had to take him now.

"You see this?" asked the thug as he nodded to his trembling hand, "I need this money! I need this so back the hell off!" He was an addict, a desperate addict. The clock was still ticking. Batgirl rolled forward, ducking the shots she knew he'd fire. She came up at him with an uppercut that knocked him silly. Batgirl kicked the gun from the robber's hand and then grabbed him. That bomb was going to go off at any minute.

"Get clear!" shouted Batgirl as she leapt backwards with the thug. Most of the hostages were already gone. The timer suddenly went off, blowing in the safe and tossing everyone backwards. The police were in the building seconds after the dust settled. Batgirl knew it was time to go. She turned to check the thug. He . . . he was dead. She checked his pulse again, trying not to have flashbacks to her childhood. He couldn't be dead. She hadn't hit him _that_ hard. She couldn't have killed him. She couldn't have.

"Pills," hissed Batgirl as she felt the bag inside the pocket of the man's jacket. She took it out and checked it. There were only two pills left. It was the drugs that killed him. That had to have been what happened. No blood on her hands this time. Cass knew she already had enough.

"Have to leave," muttered Batgirl. She didn't know what the drugs were. She could give the bag to Bruce or Tim and have them find out. The police could find out enough from the body to know the same thing.

"No," whispered Batgirl as she shot a cable through the bank's skylight and zipped up onto the roof. It wasn't her fault. She hadn't . . . she hadn't murdered him. The death was still on her conscience though. If she had moved with more finesse then maybe he wouldn't have died. If she had acted quicker then the bomb could've been disabled and maybe he could've gotten help. Maybe. Too many maybes.

"Oracle," said Batgirl shakily, "One of them . . . he had drugs. He's dead now." She knew what they would think. None of them would admit to thinking it but all of them would've immediately suspected her when she said that.

"You sure?" asked Oracle.

"I know," said Batgirl bitterly, "I know . . . when someone's dead. It wasn't me. It wasn't my fault."

"Hey," said Oracle calmly, "Relax for me. Leave him for the cops. The autopsy will show what really happened. Get the pills home and we'll look at them. Batman's being trying to crack a new drug ring that's been operating in the city. Maybe you found something."

"Alright," said Batgirl shakily. She stuffed the bag into a pouch on her belt. After that, she started swinging home. She hoped she could find Tim. She needed to forget the past now and focus on the present.


	2. Raising Stakes

Double or Nothing (Part Two)

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. R/R.

"Have you taken to wearing perfume now?" Needless to say, the question caught Robin a little off his guard. He turned to give his mentor a quizzical look. Bruce had to have meant it as a serious question. He never joked about anything.

"I can smell it from here, Tim," assured Batman, splitting his attention between his partner and the road ahead.

"Sorry, I thought I covered it up enough," said Robin.

"You did," said Batman, "I'm sure that other people probably won't even notice it."

"I don't want a speech," said Tim.

"You're an adult now," reminded Bruce as he pulled the Batmobile into a right turn.

"She's really trying hard," assured Robin.

"I know," replied Batman. Robin got it. Bruce wasn't up for discussing this. He had let Cass be Batgirl again. In Bruce's mind, that was enough charity. When it came to the respect and the trust, well, she had to earn all that back now.

"Tell me about the drug," said Robin after a few moments of silence.

"The people on the streets call it 'Deuce'," explained Batman, "Most of them just call it 'D' for short. It's called that because apparently there are only two outcomes that result from taking one dose of it: addiction or death."

"So what did you find when you analyzed those pills?" asked Robin.

"A signature," replied Batman, "The chemical is designed to produce panic, fear, and possibly psychosis if taken enough. It's the same hallucinatory compound I've seen before."

"Scarecrow's been in Arkham for weeks now though," stated Robin, "There's been no word of an escape."

"Which means he's either very clever or very careless," finished Batman, "We'll find out after tonight when we check on him."

"I don't get how this stuff is a drug though," said Tim.

"The compound is similar but with one big difference," explained Batman, "It's incredibly addictive, playing off the increased adrenaline levels in the user. When you take it, you get hooked on the rush it gives you. You're literally addicted to being terrified."

"That kind of adrenaline surge has to put a strain on your heart," added Robin.

"I checked with Gordon," said Batman, "The bank-robber that Batgirl . . . encountered was confirmed as an addict. He died of heart failure and the police found traces of the drug in his system."

"Did you let Cass know?" asked Robin. Batman nodded. Tim nodded back and absently stared out of the window. Cass had been really shaken by what had happened. He remembered how she had found him and had wordlessly enveloped him in the tightest hug she could muster. He knew how hard Cass took death. She had seen it so many times and yet each time it still shook her up terribly. Tim didn't want to give her another reason to almost cry. Both of them had already cried enough in their lifetime.

"Don't get distracted," warned Batman. He knew what was going on and he knew that the relationship between Tim and Cass had begun developing long before she had returned to Gotham from exile, even long before she had gone rogue. He was the world's greatest detective after all. He noticed these things. Bruce had let it go on because he thought that Cass could help Tim deal with the loss of his father and Stephanie. Plus, he wanted to see Tim develop on his own. Bruce Wayne learned from his mistakes. He wasn't going to constantly perch over Tim's shoulder. However, when Cass disappeared, Bruce had other concerns. When he had heard Tim's report on his case, he had trouble maintaining his composure. Being a father was never easy.

"My focus was fine when I was with Stephanie," reminded Robin, "I didn't get distracted then. I'm a professional."

"Maybe you should start wearing _this_ suit then," suggested Batman with a smirk as the Batmobile pulled through the main gates of Arkham Asylum.

"Don't bet on it," replied Robin.

XXXXX

Visiting Arkham always put Tim on edge. He could never quite find the reason for it but he always felt nervous when he stepped into the building. The house had that effect on people. The insanity was palpable in this place. It was like madness was inside the walls and it was oozing out of every crack and crevice.

"Commissioner Gordon said you'd be coming," said Jeremiah Arkham as he greeted Batman in the main lobby, "We've prepared a room for you to see him in if you would prefer that instead of his cell."

"That will be fine," stated Batman, "You're sure he hasn't had any contact with the outside. No contraband going out? No unusual visitations?"

"None that we can see," assured Arkham as he escorted the Dynamic Duo down the halls of the asylum and into a sparse, cell-like room that looked more at home in a police precinct than in an asylum.

"Good cop, bad cop?" asked Robin as he looked to his mentor.

"He won't buy it," responded Batman, "I suspect he'll do most of the talking. Our job is to decipher it into anything meaningful." The door opened and two orderlies helped wheel in the upright gurney to which Scarecrow was strapped. Robin studied him. Jonathan Crane wasn't exactly very awe-inspiring when he was out of costume. His gangly body made him look laughable and his disheveled crop of red hair along with his somewhat youthful features gave him the look of what Tim had always pictured when he thought of Ichabod Crane. However, Tim had seen this beanstalk of a man reduce grown men with nerves of steel into simpering, crying puddles of human jelly. The Scarecrow was a dangerous foe and no one would argue otherwise.

"I hear you've been wanting a word with me," said Crane, "I should feel honored to assist the illustrious Dark Knight."

"This new drug has your signature all over it, Crane," said Batman, getting straight to the point and ignoring Crane's snide tone.

"Yes, I read something about it in the papers this morning," assured Crane, "Four deaths, wasn't it?"

"Five," corrected Batman, "There was one last night."

"Tragic," said Crane although it was almost devoid of any real emotion, "This was the exact thing I was hoping to avoid."

"So you're running the show then?" cut in Robin.

"Did I say that?" asked Scarecrow, "Sure, I created my beautiful Delirium but that doesn't mean I'm the one peddling it."

"It's called 'Deuce'," said Batman.

"It's called 'Delirium'," snapped Crane, "It's enough of a crime that whoever is selling it stole it from me. Now they have the gall to rename it as well. There really is no justice in this world, is there?"

"Pardon my lack of sympathy," said Batman, "I've spoken to the DA's office, Crane. They're willing to cut some time off of your stay if you cooperate with us."

"And how would I cooperate with you?" asked Crane with a grin.

"Who's selling your poison?" asked Batman, "And how can we treat it?" Scarecrow grinned. When he had first heard that someone was using his drug to make a profit, he figured that Batman and the police would quickly suspect him. In fact, he had been counting on it. He was holding some very important cards and he intended to get as much as he could from it.

"I did have time to create a chemical that should snuff out the addiction," admitted Scarecrow, "As to who's behind this, I'm sure I could do some profile work. However, these are raised stakes and I'm afraid that a commuted sentence just isn't going to match my wager."

"What do you want?" asked Batman.

"Out," replied Scarecrow simply, "I want out of here. In exchange, I'll give you the treatment and I'll do the profile work to help you catch the person that's using _my_ scheme."

"You sure you didn't swallow your own poison?" asked Robin sarcastically, "You're completely delirious."

"I'm not making that kind of deal," assured Batman with a nod to his apprentice, "You either play by our rules or you continue rotting here."

"Makes no difference to me," replied Crane, "I continue rotting here and the citizens of Gotham continue dropping like flies to Delirium. You know this drug is like wildfire, Batman. Even if you shut down the ring, it will take months for chemists to develop the chemical to cure the addiction."

"The DA won't do it," stated Batman.

"Then you'll get nothing from me," assured Scarecrow, "I'm not showing you my cards until you've matched my wager. Let the good people of Gotham rot just like me. Sure someone may get all the money but I'm the one getting the publicity. _My_ name's on the drug, Batman. Do you know what kind of respect and fear I can command when Gotham realizes it's _my_ drug that's killing its people? You can't buy that kind of intimidation, nor can you buy that kind of pleasure."

"You're disgusting," stated Batman as he got in Crane's face, "I'll just have to do things the old-fashioned way then." The Dark Knight cracked his knuckles and gave Scarecrow an imposing look.

"We both know you won't do that," assured Scarecrow, "You're wasting your time here, Batman. People are suffering while you sit here and try to scare me with your cheap theatrics. I either walk out of here a free man or we have no deal at all."

"Have it your way then," said Batman as he turned to leave, "You're right. I _am_ wasting my time with you." Scarecrow let a cruel grin spread across his lips. It was a lose-lose situation for Batman and Gotham. They either let him go or they became handicapped without his help. He noticed that Robin was lingering.

"When did you turn into the Riddler?" asked Robin, "I ask because I'm guessing that those gambling references were intentional."

"Perhaps there's hope for young people after all," smirked Scarecrow, "Run along, little bird. Run along or I'll teach you why birds are afraid of scarecrows like me." Robin took that to mean he had figured out Scarecrow's game. Satisfied, Tim left to catch up with Batman.

"He was dropping us clues," said Batman before Robin could ask if he caught the references too, "Whoever's running this drug ring is probably doing it out of a casino. Crane already knows who the mastermind is."

"Any ideas?" asked Robin.

"A few," replied Batman as they left Arkham and got back into the Batmobile, "It could be any number of mob bosses. Maybe the Penguin decided to finally make a big play."

"You're not betting on it though," said Robin as he buckled up.

"Until we get some hard evidence, my theories are just theories," replied Batman as he started the car, "Huntress would've informed us if it had anything to do with the mobs though. So yes, I'm leaning towards someone else."

XXXXX

She had shaken down two dealers before Oracle had called her. Apparently, she was needed for a meeting. Batman had set up a conference so that they could compare notes and see what their next move would be in handling this drug case. Batgirl wasn't a big fan of meetings. She didn't want to stand around and talk when she could be out on the streets. However, Batman was the boss so she was going by his rules.

"Hey," said Cass as she made her way into the Batcave and saw Robin sitting at the computer. She smiled under her mask as she noticed he was playing some game on the internet instead of doing whatever it was Bruce probably told him to do.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," admitted Robin sheepishly as he closed the game and went back to what he was working on, "I needed the break."

"Everyone does," replied Cass, "We're going nowhere."

"Yeah," agreed Robin, "Batman said he had an idea on who might be running this operation but we need evidence. There's only one way we're going to get that."

"Someone has to go in," finished Cass, "Is that what you think he'll say?"

"Yeah," replied Tim, "It's the best course of action we can take. If we can get someone on the inside then they can help gather some evidence and maybe even find out who's behind this thing."

"Patch us through to Oracle," ordered Batman as he came over to where Robin and Batgirl were, "I want us all in on this." Robin nodded and set up the video feed on the computer so that it linked with Oracle's.

"Always nice to see you guys," said Oracle as she nodded to Robin and Batgirl, "Not so much you, Batman."

"Har har," replied Batman in perfect deadpan, "What's the word on the mob angle?"

"It's a bust," spoke up Huntress from behind Oracle, "None of the families are getting anywhere near this stuff. It's too dangerous for their business." Batman nodded, confirming the theory he had already formed. Someone was making a big play for control of Gotham.

"Oracle, what did your research turn up?" asked Batman.

"Your casino hunch might be on the money," admitted Oracle, "A new casino opened a couple months ago. Funny thing is that it was funded with Penguin's money but nobody really knows who runs the place."

"Sounds like a winner," said Robin, "He's probably using it as a front for this drug ring."

"Not Penguin," said Batman, "It might be his money but this drug seems too unstable a business for Penguin's taste. Someone else is running the show and I want proof as well as a name. Someone's going to have to go undercover and get it." Batgirl looked around as everyone fell silent for a few seconds. Batman wouldn't go, neither would Oracle. Robin would look somewhat out of place in a casino.

"I'll do it," said Batgirl suddenly. Robin and Oracle looked at her. She figured that was coming but really she was the best possible candidate. She had no history, no public records, nothing. Even if she got caught, they couldn't connect her to anything let alone the secret identity of someone else in the family.

"Give me a reason I should trust you," said Batman.

"I'm a ghost," explained Batgirl, "No past, no records, nothing. If I get caught then they can't find you guys."

"It's incredibly dangerous," put in Robin, "We have no clue who's pulling the strings here." Batgirl rolled her eyes under her mask. Was there any point in her life where she wasn't in danger? She loved it that Tim wanted to protect her but she wasn't the type of girl that needed it.

"She has a point," relented Oracle, "She doesn't have to be in there long. All we needed is something to prove that they're dealing Deuce out of the place and then we can go to the cops."

"Robin," said Batman, beginning to give out the orders to his soldiers, "I want you and Huntress to stakeout this casino while Batgirl goes undercover and gets some evidence."

"Bruce, I don't think this is a good plan," spoke up Robin. Cass rolled her eyes again. They were definitely going to have to have a talk about this. Either that or she was just going to punch him in the mouth and let that do her talking for her. She much preferred physical action over words anyway.

"You can voice your opinions later," said Batman, "I'm taking you and Batgirl over to Oracle's warehouse to get ready. I want this operation to go down tonight." Batgirl nodded. She had only been to Oracle's new place once since she had came back to Gotham. Even though the clock tower had been rebuilt, the location had already been compromised. That was part of the whole reason why Barbara moved out of Gotham in the first place. Since she had returned, Batman had set her up in an old Wayne Enterprises warehouse that was gathering dust. Oracle had organized it into not only an information hub but also a training facility for Huntress, Black Canary, and whoever else might need to use it.

"What color dress do you want?" asked Oracle.

"Black," replied Batgirl.

"Figured you'd say that," said Oracle, "We'll see what we've got." With that, Oracle turned off the video link. Cass wasted no time and moved over to where the vehicles were located.

"I'm not doing this, Bruce," said Robin as he looked sternly at Batman, "You know that she'll be putting herself in a ton of danger."

"This isn't about my feelings towards her," assured Batman, "She volunteered and she had good reasons for it. Deal with it."

"She could get killed in there," stated Robin, "You have no clue what you're sending her in there against. You're throwing her to the wolves."

"You and Helena can back her up if there's trouble," reminded Batman, "What's the real problem, Tim?" Robin looked at his mentor and gritted his teeth. He had been slightly floored when Batgirl had volunteered for this mission. He knew why she had done it. She had something to prove and Batman was too eager to see what she would do to prove it.

"This is a gut-check," stated Robin furiously, "This isn't about her being the best possible candidate. This is about you throwing her into the fire to see if she'll come back to us or leave again. You just want to see whether or not she's still on our side."

"And what if she _does_ leave?" asked Batman calmly, "What if something _does_ happen to her, Tim? Isn't that what the _real_ problem is?" Bruce knew what was happening because he would feel the same way if he had been in Tim's shoes. Tim finally had someone to be close with again. It was natural for him to be scared of history repeating itself.

"I know where you are, Tim," explained Batman, "She's the only person in the world that you have left. I know that place. I know it very, very well. I warned you before though, don't let this distract you. Yes, she could die or leave again. Those are risks. We take them every day. She volunteered. Trust her enough to come back in one piece."

"You're right," said Robin, "I'm sorry. I lost it for a second."

"I know," said Batman quietly as he put a hand on Tim's shoulder, "Trust me, I know." He walked with Robin over to where Batgirl was standing. Batman hit a button on his belt to open the door on the Batmobile and the got in. Batgirl hit Robin in the back of the head before getting in. Robin rubbed the back of his head and took that as a sign that Cass wasn't very happy with him.

XXXXX

Cass had never been to a casino before. She wasn't a huge fan of gambling. The closest to it she ever got was when she sometimes watched her father and some of his friends play poker. Usually, she would watch for a few minutes before her father would put her in bed. Playing poker without words was too hard for his friends. Oracle had given her a quick crash course in blackjack and a couple other simple games. She was wearing a microscopic radio transmitter in her ear. If she needed any help, Robin and Huntress would back her up.

"Fancy," muttered Cass as she tried to mingle as best she could. She was somewhat out of her element here. If it wasn't for the fact that she was picking up nonverbal cues from everyone in the room, she might've looked very out of place. Everything looked normal though. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. It wasn't as if the dealers had posters or signs that advertised their business.

"He's bluffing," whispered Cass as she moved past one of the poker tables. The man she had moved behind arched his eyebrow and shot a look back to her but she was already moving past him. She could tell his opponent was bluffing. He drummed his fingers on the table too much. It was a clear sign that he was nervous.

"You probably need to play something," said Huntress into her ear, "Anything look out of the ordinary?"

"No," whispered Cass into the microphone that was inside the necklace she was wearing. She wasn't a huge fan of wearing jewelry. She didn't really see the point in it. However, the straps on the dress were too thin to actually conceal a microphone somewhere there even one as tiny as this one was. Cass looked around.

"Five card?" asked Cass as she saw an empty seat at a table, "That's right isn't it?"

"If they're holding five cards then sure," replied Huntress, "Oracle told you about that one, right?"

"Yeah," whispered Cass, "Can't always keep things straight, what beats what."

"Just bluff your way through," advised Huntress, "That's undercover work." Cass shrugged a little and took a seat at the table.

XXXXX

"I still say I looked better in that suit," said Huntress as she studied the casino through her binoculars. Cass had just sat down at the table. It was going to be a long night unless she could find something.

"I'm not exactly the most impartial person on the matter," replied Robin as he took the binoculars from his partner and looked at what his girlfriend was doing, "You had to give her _that_ dress didn't you?"

"I happen to like that dress," said Huntress.

"The cut on it is too low," stated Robin.

"You'd rather she dress like a nun and draw more suspicion?" asked Huntress with a snort. Robin shook his head, conceding that Helena had a point. He was on a serious edge about this whole operation but he couldn't exactly pinpoint why. Logically, he should be okay with this by now. He knew Cass could handle herself. He knew that she wouldn't leave them again. Yet somewhere in the back of his mind he couldn't shake the nagging voice that this was going to be a complete disaster and something bad was going to happen to her. He figured he was just being neurotic. Their relationship was in its infancy at this point and he was still unsure about its permanency.

"So you and her are dating now?" asked Huntress as she watched Robin scrutinize every inch of the casino.

"As much as one can be in this line of work," replied Robin without looking at her, "Am I going to get a speech from you too?"

"You're not wrong to worry about her," said Huntress, "She has something to prove and she's eager to do it. I know what that can lead to if you're not careful." Robin looked at Huntress and saw a small smile dance across her face.

"Thanks," said Robin, "I expected to hear a big speech from you about how I shouldn't be with her at all."

"I believe in redemption," replied Huntress simply, "The only warning I'm going to give you is to let her look out for you when you need it. You guys can be a real pain in the ass to date."

"Gee, thanks," said Robin sarcastically as he returned his attention to the job at hand.

"Hey, just telling the truth," said Huntress with a shrug.

"There's no way you looked better in that costume than she does," said Robin after a moment of silence.

"Shut up, love bird, and pay attention to what's going on," retorted Huntress with a smirk.

XXXXX

Cass was starting to wonder why she hadn't done this before. She was already up five grand, which was more than she was ever going to get from Bruce on her monthly allowance. This was assuming, of course, that he was still willing to dole that out to her. It wasn't like she needed the money now. Being the former head of a worldwide terrorist network did come with perks. She still had access to all the bank accounts in case she needed money. Of course with the way she was calling everyone's bluffs, she wasn't going to lose a hand tonight.

"You need to keep moving," said Tim into her earpiece, "You're not going to find anything if you stay at that table." Cass didn't give any physical sign that she had heard what he said. She studied the man across from her. He was pretty good for someone who couldn't read body language like she could. She checked her hand. It was decent but not good enough. She figured it was time to cut her nonexistent losses and fold. She could almost feel the rush of wind as the rest of the table breathed a collective sigh of relief when she did so. Cass stuffed the chips into the purse that Oracle had loaned her. It had a small digital camera inside that she was going to use for photographing evidence. It also had some recording equipment in case she needed to bug something.

"How much was that?" asked Robin as Cass finished putting the chips away.

"Five grand," whispered Cass, "Something like that."

"I'm never playing poker with you," declared Tim.

"Not even strip?" whispered Cass teasingly as she made her way to the bathroom. She looked around while pretending to check her makeup in the mirror. She couldn't see any cameras but one could never be sure.

"Nice try," replied Tim with a smirk she couldn't see but knew was probably there, "Have you seen a back room or something like that?"

"No," mumbled Cass, "Maybe basement." Her ears perked up as something caught their attention. It sounded like a scream. Cass trained her ears to see if she could pick it up again. She heard it again. It was coming from below. She had to find some way to get down there.

There was a clink of metal that was drowned out by the scream. Something silver flipped through the air and landed in the palm of a man's hand. The man stared at the coin as if it held some secret of the universe that only he could understand. For Two-Face, the case was too true. He had found a mole in his organization. It was someone from the GCPD, probably one of the Vice Squad guys. It didn't matter. The coin had told Two-Face to give the man a shot of Deuce. Two-Face had gladly obliged. He had caught the officer a couple days ago. This was the third shot of Deuce he had given the man. The man was lucky; the coin had come up good heads. If it was bad heads, Two-Face would've just let the man suffer withdrawal symptoms for another few hours. However, now the man was making too much noise.

"You're going to have to be quiet," said Two-Face casually as he stared at the man who was strapped to an upright gurney to make sure he didn't get out of control, "Business is booming and I can't let anything upset that." The man screamed again. Two-Face sighed. Harvey was getting nervous. The spineless twit had started developing a backbone as far as Two-Face was concerned but Harvey was still gun-shy when it came to taking huge risks.

"Harvey says it would be good to just put you out of your misery," said Two-Face to the man, "I wouldn't mind watching you suffer for a couple more days. It looks like we have ourselves a problem. I'm sure you can guess how we solve problems." Two-Face put his coin on top of his thumb. It was an almost unconscious action by now. The terms were already being laid down. Good heads meant Two-Face would put the man out of his misery. Bad heads meant that the man would suffer until Two-Face decided to flip again. Two-Face flipped the coin, his eyes never leaving the man. The cop was a wreck, his eyes bloodshot and bulging while his mouth was covered with spittle. He was gibbering and moaning as he saw whatever visions his twisted brain could devise. Two-Face felt the coin hit his palm and he stared at it. It was the cop's lucky day. Good heads for the second time in a row.

"Have it your way then, Harv," said Two-Face as he pulled out his gun and leveled it at the man's head, "Don't say I didn't warn ya though."


	3. The Devil You Know

Double or Nothing (Part Three)

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Thanks to the people who review. I had to finish moving into my new residence before getting back to work on this fic. R/R.

She wished she had her suit on. She felt too exposed in this dress. Not that Cass thought it was a bad dress. She had certainly enjoyed Tim's initial reaction upon seeing her in it for the first time. That alone had been priceless. However, the dress just wasn't designed for stealth. Plus, it also wasn't bulletproof like her costume was. Not that Cass minded that part. She knew how to take a bullet. Her father had taught her that very well.

"Need distraction," said Cass, "I have to get to the basement."

"On it," assured Robin. Cass pressed herself up against the wall and waited.

XXXXX

"We're going in," stated Robin as he took out his grappling hook and fired it at the casino's roof, "She needs a way to go down."

"So we go up," finished Huntress as she followed suit. Robin nodded as the two vigilantes swung towards the casino and landed on one of its ledges. There was an office on the top floor that would work. Robin quickly used a glass-cutter to make a hole in the window and reached inside to unlock it.

"It's tripped," assured Huntress as she noticed a blinking light on the little device connected to the window, "How careless of us." Robin grinned as the duo made their way into the office.

"Any chance of finding something in here too?" asked Huntress as she moved to pry open a filing cabinet.

"I wouldn't put money on it," assured Robin as he began poking around on the office's computer. He hoped that Cass was onto something. The quicker they could crack this case then the safer he'd sleep at night, assuming that he slept at all during the night.

"How long before they send some people up here?" asked Robin.

"Ten minutes tops," replied Huntress. Robin nodded. He just hoped they could keep the casino's goons busy while Cass did the real digging.

XXXXX

She had managed to mingle her way over to a good vantage point where she could see the basement entrance and not be seen in return. Cass had been staring at the entrance for what felt like an eternity before the men guarding it received something over their earpieces and left their posts. Cass assumed this was Tim's work. She silently thanked him as she crept over to the unguarded door and made her way inside after picking the lock. She hadn't heard anything from down below after the two screams. Cass didn't know if she should take that as a good sign or a bad sign. She kept her ears alert as she crept down the stairs and went into the casino's basement.

"I'm in," she whispered. There was some noise in the background of the radio.

"Check," said Robin hastily. Cass wished she was up there with him. She wasn't an intelligence gatherer. That wasn't really her specialty. She sniffed the air suddenly. Smoke. She reached into her purse and pulled out a flashlight. Cass now understood the necessity for utility _belts_ as opposed to bags or backpacks or some other such contrivance. The purse was too cumbersome for her tastes. Cass shined the flashlight around to get a better look at where exactly she was. She quickly realized that where exactly she was wasn't very pretty. There were tanks full of chemicals lining the walls. She didn't know if it was the drug itself or the chemicals used to make it. She'd let Bruce decide for himself. She fished out the camera from her purse and let the night-vision lens adjust itself before taking a few pictures. Cass sniffed the air. The smoke was still lingering. She knew it had to have come from a gun.

"Murder," whispered Cass as she entered the next room. She could smell the blood now too and she followed the trail to the gurney where the dead man was still strapped in. She made sure to snap some pictures. The gun had been double-barreled. She could tell that much. Cass had been out of the game a long time but she still remembered some of Batman's case files. Two-Face liked double-barreled guns. Two-Face also liked games of chance. The odds were good.

"Robin," said Cass. There was only static on the other end of the radio.

XXXXX

Tim swore he could feel the little pieces of metal sticking into the skin of his ear canal. He was paranoid. He hastily checked the earpiece and found it to be worthless. The thug had gotten a lucky shot. Robin had returned the favor by knocking him unconscious.

"Radio down?" asked Huntress as she drove her knee into a man's stomach and then kicked him in the face. That was the last of the goons.

"Yeah," replied Robin as he fiddled with his ear, "Luckily that's the only thing on me that's broken."

"Always nice," said Huntress, "Where to now?"

"Basement," replied Robin, "Someone's hired an awful lot of protection. I want to know why."

"And here I thought you just missed your girlfriend," said Huntress with a smirk.

XXXXX

Cass had come to a new understanding. It was hard to fight while wearing heels. Apparently there were still some stray goons about that Robin's distraction hadn't drawn in. Cass pitied them. At least Robin would've been gentler with them.

"Stupid shoes," muttered Cass as she kicked off one shoe and let it nail one of the goons in the head. She slipped the other one off before grabbing the stunned man and flinging him over her shoulder into one of his partners. The third one pulled a gun and found it removed from his hand thanks to her. Seconds later, the man also found his hand quite broken. With all of them down, Cass looked around to see if any more were coming.

"I have to say that I'm impressed," said a voice. Cass was momentarily blinded by someone flicking on the lights. She turned and rolled as she heard the sound of the gun being fired.

"That was a warning," assured Two-Face, "Harvey thought it was only fair. You only get one though. Leave." Cass stared at the man, her eyes lingering on his grotesque face. She was going to have to take him out. It was the quickest way to finish this case.

"I wouldn't take the risk," assured Two-Face as he pointed the gun at one of the chemical tanks, "You don't really know what's in here. There's a 50/50 chance it's explosive. You wanna gamble with a casino full of innocent people?" Cass hated it that he was right. She couldn't run that risk.

"Smart girl," said Two-Face with a grin as he saw Cass relax her stance. He slowly moved over to where the dead man was still strapped in, admiring his handiwork. Apparently, Lady Luck had decided to send him someone new to play with.

"This guy was a cop," said Two-Face as he gestured to the dead man, "You one too?" Cass didn't reply. She figured that Tim was on his way. Maybe that would be the advantage she needed to take Two-Face out.

"The way I see it, you're either a cop or you work with Batman's crew," explained Two-Face, "Of course I see everything 50/50 so that's nothing new. Still, odds are that I've got a pretty good idea you're not just an innocent bystander who happened to wander down here."

"Not your lucky day," assured Cass as she saw Robin suddenly charge into the room with Huntress right on his heels.

"Freeze, Dent!" ordered Robin. Two-Face turned and fired the gun at Robin. Robin rolled while Huntress fired a bolt from her crossbow that pinned Two-Face's arm to the wall, effectively silencing his ability to shoot at anyone else.

"You alright?" asked Robin as he looked to Cass. Cass nodded.

"I'm going back in there to make sure there aren't any more goons," said Huntress as she pointed to where the tanks were, "Get in touch with Gordon and tell him to get some people down here." Robin nodded as Huntress went back into the other room. He suddenly heard the click of a trigger. Everything moved in slow motion as he felt himself pushed to the floor. He looked up. Cass had taken the shot but it wasn't a bullet stuck in her arm. It was a dart.

"I think my odds are pretty fair," assured Two-Face as he held the second gun in his other hand, the one currently not pinned to the wall, "Too bad yours don't look too hot." Cass's eyes widened as she looked at the dart before yanking it out of her arm. Her skin felt like it was on fire. She found herself starting to sweat.

"Huntress, back in here!" shouted Robin. Cass looked at him and felt something jerk in her body. It was . . . it was like her body had a mind of its own. She was scared now. She felt like she couldn't control her body anymore.

"Robin," said Cass, "Help." That was the last thing Tim heard before Cass hit him in the face. He spun on his heel and turned it into a back handspring to dodge the kick that was coming his way. Tim tried to get his bearings. Two-Face had shot Cass up with Deuce and now he was a part of her worst fear.

"I can't stop," explained Cass as she hit him in the stomach. It was like a living nightmare. She could see it all happening but she couldn't stop it. Her body wouldn't do what she told it. It wanted to kill Tim. It wanted to kill him and all she could do was watch.

"Get control," urged Robin as he blocked a kick. The foot swung back the other way and struck him in the jaw.

"I can't!" whimpered Cass helplessly. She turned and caught Huntress in mid-air with an uppercut, effectively stopping her attempt at a tackle. Helena didn't need to be here. At least with Tim she could tell herself she was about to hurt someone she loved and that would give her a measure of control. Helena was just a warm body in her way. Cass could barely keep the killing instincts raging inside her body at bay. She had lived with these instincts all her life and all her life she had been afraid that they were too much to control. Now she was about to use them on the people she cared about.

"He shot her up," explained Robin as Huntress got back to her feet. He was worried sick. Tim could only imagine what kind of torture this was for Cass. Simply put, it was her greatest fear come to life.

"Wonderful," muttered Huntress as Robin grabbed Cass from behind and attempted to choke her into unconsciousness. Helena knew enough to see the advantage and went straight for Cass while she was open.

"Too slow," said Cass as she kicked Huntress in the face and then moved out of Tim's hold, flipping him over her back and into Huntress. She had to stop it. She was going to hurt one of them and then everything she had worked so hard for was going to be ruined. She couldn't be trusted. She couldn't be loved. She couldn't fight what everything else in the world, even her own body, kept telling her. She was going to kill again.

"Robin," said Cass as she blocked Tim's punch, kicking him in the side and then the stomach, "You have to . . . have to stop me. Please!" She was disgusted with herself because on some level she knew she enjoyed this. She tried to tell herself it was the drug talking and not her own soul.

"My pleasure," assured Huntress as she hit Cass in the back of the head and then rammed her knee into the younger woman's spine. Huntress knew the risks. She knew that Batman had wanted her on this case for this reason. She could do what Tim couldn't. She could kill if it became absolutely necessary.

"I won't take you out," assured Robin. Cass didn't register him. Huntress was the bigger threat. Her body knew what to do. She whirled and caught Helena's arm, snapping the bones like they were twigs. She heard Huntress scream before everything suddenly became muffled by the haze of smoke. Cass coughed as she tried taking blind shots at the air around her.

"Robin," she called out. Tim wanted to answer but he knew it was suicide. He grabbed Huntress and headed for the door. He hated leaving Cass behind but he couldn't do anything with her like this. Staying to help her would've landed all three of them in trouble. Tim knew he had to use his head instead of his heart.

"Too bad about the kid." Cass felt something sting her in the back of the neck. It was another dart but this one was different.

"I'm going to kill you," assured Cass as she turned to Two-Face.

"That's one option," replied Two-Face as he shot another tranquilizer dart at her, "There's always more than one option though. Like right now. You could just let those tranquilizers do their work and go to sleep like a good girl." Cass felt her muscles suddenly slacken and turn into nothing more than dead weight. She fought to stay conscious. She had to . . . had to escape.

"Just go down, kid," urged Two-Face with a sadistic grin, "Just go down." Cass stumbled and fell to the floor as he legs ceased to function.

'_Sssh, Cassie,'_ whispered a voice in her head. Cass wondered who it was. It sounded strangely like her own voice.

"What?" whispered Cass as she tried to stay awake.

'_Just sleep, Cassie,' _said the voice. Cass obliged it as she felt her eyes grow heavy and everything drift away.

"Good girl," said Two-Face as he looked down at her. He figured she had to be with Batman's crew. There was no way the cops taught her to fight like that.

"Always the gentleman, huh Harvey?" asked Two-Face as he took out his coin and flipped it. He grinned as he saw the result.

"What're you gonna do with her?" asked one of the goons.

"Have some fun," replied Two-Face maliciously.

XXXXX

"Your girlfriend plays kinda rough," admitted Huntress, "I'd be more careful." Robin didn't respond as he continued carrying Helena away from the casino. They couldn't stand around it and wait for backup, not with Two-Face and more of his goons lurking about.

"Batman's going to kill us for this," muttered Robin as he shot out a grappling line and hauled Huntress up to a rooftop. He set her down and looked at her arm.

"It's not bad," assured Huntress, "I can still help."

"You're done," stated Robin, "Call Oracle and tell her what happened. Where's your bike?"

"Couple blocks over," replied Huntress, "I stashed it in an alley." Robin nodded. He had to save Cass. He wasn't going to let her die and he wasn't going to let her go through life as an addict.

"I have to pick something up," said Robin.

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Huntress. Robin didn't waste any time explaining himself. He shot out his line and swung over to where Huntress had left the cycle. He had to get an antidote so he could help Cass. He knew of only one way to do it.

"Hang on, Cass," whispered Tim, "I'll be back with some help."

XXXXX

Robin didn't let how much Arkham Asylum freaked him out get to him this time. This time there were other things to freak out about. Case in point was the fact that his girlfriend was now addicted to the deadliest drug on the market to date. She was lucky to still be alive at all although Tim was sure that Cass would beg to differ on that point. However, she was still alive and Tim was going to make sure that she was okay. He wasn't going to lose her, not again. If that meant getting his hands a little dirty then that was fine with Robin.

"Bruce is going to hate this," muttered Robin as he skidded to a stop at the front gate of the asylum and quickly used his grappling hook to vault over. There was no time to be subtle about this. There was no time to go have lawyers draw up pardon papers or any of that garbage. The person he loved was dying. Tim wasn't going to waste time on any ceremony. He was just going to do this the quick and dirty way.

"Thank God for routine," muttered Robin as he landed on a ledge of the asylum. He knew right where Scarecrow's cell was. It was the same cell he was always in. At this time of the night, Crane would be in there and that was what Robin counted on. There wasn't time to finesse this so he decided to use the hammer. Robin pulled out a small gadget from his belt and quickly secured it to the wall of the cell. He ran along the edge until there was enough distance and then clicked a button. The wall of the cell suddenly blew out, creating a tremendous amount of noise as mortar and bricks rained down onto the ground below.

"Birds are always so noisy," mused Scarecrow as Robin entered through the hole. He had figured a moment like this would come. There was no way that Batman and his allies were going to solve this case without his help. No matter how they chose to do it, Scarecrow knew that he'd be free.

"I don't have time for any of your useless prattle," assured Robin as he suddenly grabbed Crane by the throat and slammed him against the wall, "Where's the antidote?"

"Has my Delirium finally gotten to you?" asked Scarecrow snidely, "It's a beautiful little drug if I must say."

"Where is it?" demanded Robin, "Talk or I will throw you out that hole. If that doesn't kill you then I'll pick up the slack!" There was no time to listen to this maniac gloat about how much the rest of the world needed his help. Cass was in trouble and this lunatic held the key to her rescue.

"Manners, my boy," sneered Scarecrow, "Let me walk out of here and I'll take you to the antidote. You have my word on that."

"Figures," snorted Robin as he dragged Scarecrow towards the hole and then shot out his grappling line to get back to the cycle, "I don't trust you, Crane."

"Then why are you willing to let me help?" asked Scarecrow. Robin didn't have a straight answer to that one. The only thing he knew was that his girlfriend was going to die unless Jonathan Crane could give him the antidote. If it took walking through Hell to accomplish that then Tim would do it.

"Someone I love is dying because of _your_ poison," said Robin as he got in Crane's face, "You're going to give me the antidote so I can save her or so help me God I will kill you."

"Admirable," admitted Scarecrow, "You would risk everything to save your fair maiden. I wonder though if you can risk making a deal with the Devil." At that point, Robin was inclined to ask the same question.

(Author's Note): More on the way!


	4. Fear the Reaper

Double or Nothing (Part Four)

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. R/R because you know you really want to.

He could imagine what Bruce was doing right now. No doubt there were a few unlucky thugs that would find Batman particularly wrathful this evening, more than usual. They would chalk it up to a bad day, wrong place and wrong time. They would lick their wounds and crawl back into whatever holes they had sprang from. However, they wouldn't have to eventually come home to Batman and be greeted by the cold and stern look of his disapproval. Robin mulled that one over as he sped down the streets of Gotham, getting further and further away from the city. He figured that Batman's disapproval was worth it if he could see Cassandra Cain smile at him again.

"Follow that road," urged Scarecrow. The man's voice brought Tim back to his current predicament as he wheeled the cycle into a right turn. He was casting his lot with the enemy in hopes that said enemy could provide the cure to Cass's addiction. Robin just hoped that Scarecrow was a man of his word if indeed Jonathan Crane could still be considered a man at all.

"We're miles outside the city," informed Robin, "Couldn't you have picked a better location for your secret lair?"

"Not with you and Batman skulking around the city every night," retorted Scarecrow, "There." Robin pulled up to an old house that looked like the perfect candidate for a haunted house in a horror movie. It was no wonder Scarecrow had chosen it as his base of operations.

"I believe it's customary for the guest to enter first," said Scarecrow with a grin.

"I'm not falling for it, Crane," assured Robin, "You lead the way while I follow behind you."

"You still don't trust me?" mused Scarecrow, "You wound me, young one. I thought after all our years as adversaries you would have developed some respect for my skills."

"I don't respect anything about you, Crane," assured Robin, "Now quit wasting time and get that antidote before I break every bone in your body."

"Sticks and stones, child," reminded Scarecrow as he led the way inside, "You know that if you hurt me too much you'll never get that precious antidote." Robin hated to admit that it was true. While he could threaten Scarecrow all he liked, Tim couldn't make good on those threats if he wanted the lunatic's help. It was an undesirable fact that both he and Scarecrow knew.

"Only someone as sick as you could like living in this place," said Robin as he looked around at the inside of the house. He made sure to keep his guard up, very wary of the fact that Scarecrow could betray him at any moment. Crane probably had the house rigged with all manner of traps in case the wrong people came calling. Tim was on the enemy's ground and he reminded himself to remember that.

"You haven't seen the really good parts," assured Scarecrow with a grin, "This place is my own private house of horrors." He moved up the creaky stairs that led to the house's second floor. Robin cautiously followed Scarecrow up the stairs, keeping his guard up at all times. They were running out of time. Every second they spent casually waltzing through this deathtrap was one more second of torture that Cass was being put through. God only knew what Two-Face was planning to do with her. Everything was a literal coin-toss when it came to him. He could just as soon kill her as he could let her live.

"My lab," explained Scarecrow as he opened the door and led the way inside the room. Tim sniffed the air and wanted to throw up. It wasn't just the smells emanating from the chemicals. There were other foul odors in the air and all of them told Robin that there had been murders committed in this house. Tim was sorely tempted to forego their agreement and haul Scarecrow in this very second.

"Is that the one?" asked Robin as Crane selected a vial from one of the racks and presented it to him.

"You can feel free to check the label on it," assured Scarecrow, "I doubt you'll be able to tell whether or not I've presented you with the real antidote. I could've just as easily given you a fake. You won't know it until you've used it on whoever this girl is that you love so much."

"If you've lied to me then I'll make sure you're put in the ground instead of in jail," reminded Tim as he looked over the vial. It seemed like the real thing, at least according to the label. Batman had been working on a formula to cure the addiction to the drug but so far all efforts proved futile. Crane had been right all along. Only the Scarecrow's twisted brilliance could conjure up the antidote.

"You have what you came for," said Scarecrow, "Why don't you just leave me in peace?" Robin arched an eyebrow. Crane didn't care that Two-Face had stolen his drug and was making hundreds of dollars off of his creation? Robin wasn't sure he could buy that but at the moment he really couldn't argue. He had to get back to the casino and rescue Cass.

"I'd lay low if I were you," said Robin as he put the vial in a safe compartment on his utility belt and turned to go, "Batman's going to come down on you like a ton of bricks if you try anything after this."

"Not as hard as he'll come down on you though," said Scarecrow, "You think I can't see it? You're afraid of him. You're afraid of everything."

"I'm not staying to have a confession with a maniac," assured Robin. He turned and saw Crane grin maliciously at him. At first he thought it was just because of what Scarecrow had said but he soon realized it was something far more insidious that Crane was laughing at.

"You're right about one thing, boy," said Scarecrow as he released the gas bomb he had picked up off the table when he had selected the vial to give to Robin, "I'm not going to stay around to hear you scream." Robin's hand automatically reached for his gas mask. Unfortunately, the bomb went off in seconds and hit Tim right in the face with a dose of fear gas. Scarecrow quickly jumped back against the wall, hitting a hidden button on it that revealed a secret passage. Robin coughed and tried to back out of the cloud. There was no time for this. He had to help Cass. He had to save her. He had to . . . he couldn't lose someone again. No, that was the gas talking. He had to fight through it.

"_You're a disgrace, Tim," _stated a voice. Robin turned and coughed as he saw Batman approach him. No, it was a hallucination. None of this was real. He had to keep moving.

"You can chew me out later," assured Robin as he stumbled into the hallway and began moving down the stairs. He was sweating by now. He could feel his legs trembling.

"_Take off that suit,"_ ordered the Batman apparition, "_You're no longer fit to wear it anymore. You've let yourself become an irrational fool."_

"I love her," muttered Robin as he trudged down the stairs, "I have to save her." His legs were going to give out at any second. Tim braced himself as he felt them do so and he tumbled down the stairs.

"_You can't save me."_ He blinked and tried to fight his way to his feet. There were too many ghosts. There were too many people he couldn't save. He saw Cass standing in front of him. He blinked hard to try and erase her. She had the same sneer on her face, the same wild insanity in her eyes, that she had when he had fought her one year ago. He was afraid that it could come back. She fell over the edge once, she could do it again. Tim was so afraid of losing her because if he lost her again then what would he become? How could he function without . . . without some sort of sign that the universe was a just place and that even though things looked dark there was still light somewhere?

"_You can't save me, Tim,"_ said Cass, "_You can't save anyone."_

"It's not true!" shouted Robin as he felt his body suddenly become paralyzed with fear, "It's not true!"

"Only time will tell, child," assured Scarecrow as he stepped over Robin's body on his way out the door, now clad in his costume. He had moved from the passage to the room where he kept his equipment and was now fully stocked on all manner of weapons. He was going to that casino and he was going to reclaim what was rightfully his. Then after he had taken care of Two-Face, he would be the one running the show and his grand design for Delirium could proceed according to plan.

"I would love to hear you sing some more, Robin," assured Scarecrow as Tim let out a cry of anguish, "but I must be off to make my rounds." With that, Scarecrow tipped his hat to his gracious houseguest and departed, intent on making good use of the cycle that had brought both him and Robin out to this God-forsaken house.

XXXXX

It was dark, so incredibly dark that Cass wondered if she was still alive at all. Was this death? No, she had died twice before and neither of those times felt like this. There had been light those times. That was when she had been good. Maybe this is what bad people saw when they died.

"Still holding yourself back." Cass saw something move in the darkness and tried to follow it as it stepped in front of her. It was . . . it was her. Cass looked at the figure. It was like looking in a mirror. Everything was exactly the same except . . . there was something different. The other Cassandra had a different stance, more aggressive. The look in her eyes was cold and malicious.

"What do you mean?" questioned Cass, "Who are you?"

"My name is Cassandra Cain," replied the double, "My parents were David Cain and Lady Shiva. I was born and raised to kill people. I accept that."

"I don't," stated Cass, "I'm not you. You're not me."

"Very true," replied Cassandra, "but I'm still _part_ of you. You hold yourself back, Cassie. You try to squeeze yourself into Batman's mold and Robin's mold and Oracle's mold and everyone else's mold. Both of us know what you really are."

"I made my choice," stated Cass firmly, "Killing is wrong."

"That's the funny thing about choices," mused Cassandra with a cruel grin, "You can always remake them. You can always shirk a promise."

"Doesn't make it right," assured Cass, "I'm here now because of me. I want this. I want to fight. I want to be good."

"But you're not," stated Cassandra, "Did you think I'd go away after only a year? Did you think you could magically make everything better again? You really are stupid. I'll never leave you. I'll haunt your nightmares until the day you die. You can't run from yourself, Cassie."

"Tim loves me," reminded Cass, "That's all I need."

"You think he cares about you?" snorted Cassandra, "He cares about being the hero and saving the girl. He loves tying himself in knots with his stupid and childish morals. You know they can never work for you, Cassie. You can never be that."

"I can!" snapped Cass as she took a shot at Cassandra.

"I doubt it," replied Cassandra as she blocked the punch and smacked Cass in the face, "You'll crawl back eventually."

XXXXX

Cass stirred and opened her eyes. Her body felt like it was on fire. Every muscle ached with pain. She flexed her arms and found herself tied to the gurney. Seeing the mangled visage of Two-Face before her was enough of a reminder that her current situation was dismal. She . . . she needed the drug again. Her body hurt so badly that she . . . she had to have it again.

"You look awfully familiar," stated Two-Face as he stared at his prize, "One of us has seen you before." Cass tried to struggle against her bonds but every movement made her body hurt all the more.

"That's the bitch about having an addiction," informed Two-Face with a grin, "You gotta stay high or else you live your life in pain." He held up a vial of liquid. Cass recognized that it was Deuce. She tried to hold back the gnawing hunger that suddenly gripped her body. She had to get it under control. She couldn't give in to it.

"You want this, don't you?" asked Two-Face as he dangled the vial in front of her face, "I gave you a pretty powerful shot. I figured it would kill you but I should've known you'd be tougher than that. I guess it didn't really matter either way though."

"Please," whimpered Cass. Her body had betrayed her again and the plea had unintentionally escaped her lips. She was too weak. She couldn't . . . she couldn't think straight without that poison in her veins.

"You'll get another shot in time," assured Two-Face, "That's assuming, of course, that you're lucky enough and that you're fine with doing me a few favors." Cass tried to struggle. She had to get out and find Tim. She had to fight back. She had to . . . she had to get another shot.

"I saw how you took apart Robin and Huntress," explained Two-Face, "I figure, for the right amount of this stuff, you'll take out anyone I tell you to." Cass grimaced in pain as she remembered suffering through the waking nightmare that the dose had given her. She couldn't go through that again.

"I still say you look familiar," said Two-Face, "Harvey remembers seeing your picture. That _was_ you, wasn't it Cassandra?" Cass glared hatefully at Two-Face and bit her lip. How had this maniac discovered who she was? Her father had wiped out every single trace of her existence from the moment she was born.

"Harvey's talked to your father a lot," explained Two-Face, "Did you know that when Batman left, he let Harvey protect this city? That must've been a real burn to get passed over by him."

"How do you know?" questioned Cass.

"Harvey needed your father to give him information," explained Two-Face, "It was a big case and David Cain knew everything about the killer so Harvey pumped your dad for information in exchange for time off his sentence."

"What about me?" asked Cass.

"David Cain's proud of only one thing," assured Two-Face, "He's proud of his little girl, Cassie. He showed Harvey your picture once. I knew one of us had seen your face somewhere. We're very good at remembering faces." Cass eyed the man suspiciously. How much did he know beyond her name and her face? What other secrets about her past were locked inside his dichotomous mind?

"So, how much did it sting to know that Batman didn't have faith in you?" asked Two-Face. Cass looked into his eyes and swore she could see someone else in there. Was it Two-Face asking the question or was it Harvey Dent?

"You're insane," stated Cass, "You're a monster."

"I bet it was a lot," assured Two-Face as he took out his coin and flipped it, the motion continuing in an automatic loop of toss-catch-toss, "Harvey sympathizes. Bats didn't have enough faith in him to treat him like a real ally. He was just the placeholder till the real hero got back from his vacation. He was just Batman's tool."

"No," stated Cass. She hated hearing that word because it reminded her of the way she once thought. She knew what it was like to really be used and it was nothing like the way Batman had treated her. He had been more of a father to her than her real father ever could've been. She knew the absolute truth now. The only tool she had been was David Cain's, not Batman's.

"Tell me I'm wrong again," said Two-Face with a sneer as he flipped his coin again, "Right and wrong, good and bad, are just words. We made it all up so that we could have some kind of law and order in society. You know why your father's in jail and I'm not?"

"Don't care," snorted Cass. Two-Face held up his coin, showing Cass the scarred side of the two-headed silver dollar.

"He got a bad toss and I didn't," summed up Two-Face simply, "That's all there is to it. Good things still happen to bad people, kid, and bad things certainly happen to good people. Look at yourself and tell me I'm lying." Cass felt the inside of her body shudder violently. She needed another shot. She couldn't stand living with this pain. Maybe Two-Face was right. Maybe there was no justice because if there was then why was she still here? She had killed people and she deserved to be punished. Where was the just force in the universe that would come down and punish her for her crimes? Was it all just luck of the draw that she had gotten away with murder while other people hadn't?

"I bet you're really hungry for it now," sneered Two-Face as he noticed the fact that Cass's body was writhing in agony, "You know the drill though. We flip for it." Two-Face flipped his coin and let it land on his open palm.

"You got a good toss this time," assured Two-Face as he loaded the vial into a syringe and made sure it was ready, "Next time you might not be so lucky." Cass winced as he stuck the needle into her arm. It was like . . . it was like something she couldn't describe. She hated it and loved it at the same time.

"_Hey, Cassie,"_ hissed the voice of her evil twin, "_You miss me?"_ Cass screamed as she slipped into a drug-induced nightmare again.

XXXXX

Jonathan Crane despised being mocked. It was the thing that, above all else, he had tried to avoid for his entire life. He was brilliant, cunning, a genius some would say. He deserved respect and, with the power he wielded, he deserved to be feared by those who couldn't respect him. Above all else, Scarecrow abhorred being mocked. He hadn't shown it to the Dark Knight or to the Boy Wonder but this latest mockery had angered him to no end. It was bad enough to be laughed at by one's peers. Scarecrow had learned to put up with the taunts and jeers his colleagues sometimes hurled at him. However, this was mockery on an entirely different level. Someone had the gall to take _his_ brilliant scheme and use it for their own purposes. No one lived to laugh about turning Jonathan Crane into a joke. Scarecrow always made sure of that.

The cycle handled well and Scarecrow had used it to make excellent time back into Gotham. He eventually had to ditch the bike though in favor of a more stealthy approach on foot.

"Harvey," muttered Scarecrow as he stared out of his position in an alleyway and looked at the casino, "I thought you of all people knew about professional courtesy. Well, dear Mr. Dent, I hope to teach you some manners. I wonder if when you scream you'll do it in stereo." Scarecrow's plan of attack was very simple. Various establishments in Gotham were prone to being targets of robberies or other such crimes. It was, therefore, highly likely that Scarecrow could simply show up at the casino and cause a riot. With that in progress and, no doubt, distracting the police who were bound to show up, Scarecrow could confront Two-Face and reclaim what was rightfully his. Then while the cops were busy busting Dent, Scarecrow could be off with his precious Delirium and save it for a more opportune time. Two-Face would be sent to Arkham while he would walk away with the drug and devise a new use for it. Everything would all work out in his favor.

"I believe that all bets have been placed," said Scarecrow to himself as he climbed up a fire escape to the roof of a nearby building and then vaulted himself over the dead air and onto the roof of the casino.

"How kind," mused Scarecrow as he saw the open window where Robin and Huntress had entered the building earlier in the evening, "No doubt part of the Bat's handiwork." Scarecrow climbed through the window and entered the office area. He looked around and noticed that some of the thugs Two-Face was using were still lying unconscious on the floor.

"So hard to find good help," mused Scarecrow as he opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. He figured that Two-Face would be in the basement. He knew that Dent wouldn't risk conducting that kind of business up here. Besides, the basement provided a far better atmosphere for torture and murder. Scarecrow knew this from personal experience.

"How fortuitous," said Scarecrow as he saw the elevator at the end of the hallway open its doors. The elevator would be just the thing he needed to get downstairs. Unfortunately, the thugs that departed from the elevator had something to say in opposition and they chose to make their points with guns instead of words.

"Gentlemen, you picked a very bad time to come calling," assured Scarecrow as he flicked a trio of fear gas bombs at the thugs, cackling with glee as the bombs spewed their contents into the midst of his advancing foes. He would wet his appetite with these idiots before moving on to the main course. If nothing else, it would at least put him in good humor before he took back his creation from Two-Face.

XXXXX

Two-Face stared into the eyes of his captive and watch her moan in pain. The shot he had given her was a lighter dose than the first one. He wanted to make sure that she wasn't satisfied with the high. He wanted to make sure that she kept needing him and the relief that he provided. She was going to be his extra insurance that no one in Gotham would oppose him.

"Boss, there's something going on upstairs," said one of his minions. Two-Face sneered and turned his attention to the thug.

"What's the problem?" asked Two-Face, "Did Bats and his friends decide to push their luck again?"

"Worse than that," assured the thug, "Scarecrow." Two-Face frowned. He had timed this little scam perfectly so that there would be no way that Crane could get out of Arkham. Apparently someone had paid for an early release. Two-Face knew he had been playing a dangerous game when he had swiped the formula from Crane and began manufacturing the drug. Now it appeared that the law of averages was about to come calling.

"Keep him busy for a little while longer," ordered Two-Face as he looked back to Cass, "I think he'll be pleasantly surprised at what's in store for him." He knew he would have to wait until the effects of the drug wore off before he could use Cass but that could be worked around. He winced slightly as she howled again. He had a feeling that before the night was over, she wouldn't be the only one screaming.


	5. Doubling Down

Double or Nothing (Part Five)

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Thanks to the people reviewing and to the people catching my mistakes. You guys are great and I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted a new chapter. R/R.

His legs ached. His hands were shaking violently. Tim Drake tried to get a grip on himself as he reached for the place on his belt where he kept the regular antidote to Scarecrow's fear gas.

"C'mon, Drake," hissed Robin as he tried fighting past the fear, "She's counting on you." He managed to get the antitoxin into the injector. He could hear another of Batman's lectures beginning. For what felt like a lifetime, he had been lying here on the floor listening to the stern and disapproving voice of his mentor as Batman listed all of the things Tim had ever done wrong, all the ways in which he could never live up to being Robin. In between those lectures, he had listened to Cass tell him how much of a failure he was. In the beginning, Tim had taken it because the toxin was too strong but now its effects were diminishing and he could regain control. He was using that energy now to shoot himself up with the antitoxin.

"I'm not Batman," breathed Robin, "and it doesn't matter." It was true. For most of his life, Robin felt like he had been fighting against the inevitable. He would eventually turn into Bruce Wayne, turn into Batman. After all, wasn't that what Robin was supposed to do? However, now Tim saw everything differently. He had something that Bruce didn't. He had someone to pull him back from the void and help him from becoming bitter and cynical. He had the love of Cassandra Cain and it helped him become a better person.

"Have to find her," muttered Robin as he tried getting up. He had to get out of here and back to the casino. He checked the place where he had stored the antidote to the drug and made sure it was still safe. He didn't want to find it banged up while he was suffering from the effects of Scarecrow's surprise attack.

"Need some transportation," mumbled Robin to himself as he looked outside and noticed that Scarecrow had taken the cycle, "There has to be something around here." Robin looked around. His radio had been broken during the fight at the casino. He couldn't get in touch with Oracle that way.

"Time to get old-fashioned then," said Robin as he moved to a phone in the hallway and prayed to God that it still worked. He was relieved to find out that it did and quickly dialed the police.

"This is Robin," said Robin as soon as someone picked up the phone, "I need to speak with Gordon, now. It's urgent."

"One second," said the officer on the other end. There was some commotion as the phone was left off the hook and then picked up again.

"Gordon here," said Commissioner Gordon.

"Commissioner, it's Robin," explained Tim, "I need you to get some people over to where I am as soon as you can. I'm in an old mansion on the outskirts of the city. Just take the Parkway out of the city and follow it till you get close to the county line."

"I'm on it," assured Gordon, "What the hell are you doing out there, son?"

"No time to explain," assured Robin, "Also, get some people down to the Wild Ace Casino. Two-Face is the one in charge of it and he's using it as a front for the drug ring we've been trying to crack."

"We've been investigating that place for weeks," admitted Gordon, "How do you know it's Two-Face?"

"The catch isn't in the name of the casino," explained Robin, "It's the address. It's on West 16th Street. When you take the square root of sixteen twice, you get two." He should've paid more attention to it from the start. The biggest clue was that the drug itself was called Deuce but without anything more solid they couldn't be sure it was Two-Face. Robin also figured that Batman still had some lingering hopes that Harvey would see the error of his ways and that was why Bruce overlooked certain glaring details that pointed towards Two-Face.

"We'll send some people to both places," assured Gordon, "We're running pretty thin thanks to a breakout at Arkham that happened an hour or so ago." Robin inwardly cursed. If he hadn't been so stupid and rash then they could've been able to do this more effectively. He also couldn't believe that he had been out for at least an hour. He hoped that Cass was still alive.

"Do what you can," said Robin, "I have to get over to that casino." With that, Robin hung up the phone. Now came the hard part. He was going to have to find some mode of transportation and he was going to have to do it with absolutely no way to contact Oracle. He wondered if there was a computer terminal somewhere in the house. If he could find a computer then maybe he could get to the internet and get in touch with Oracle. That's when he heard a vehicle pull up to the house.

"Who would come out here?" wondered Robin as he took up a hiding spot in a hallway so that whoever may enter the front door couldn't see him. He peeked out from behind the wall as the door slowly opened.

"There's very little time to be playing around," assured Alfred Pennyworth as he looked around at the dusty and dilapidated condition of the house, "I don't believe you wish to spend any more time here than necessary."

"Alfred, how did you find me?" asked Robin as he looked at the butler with a smile.

"Batman sent me here," assured Alfred, "Huntress informed Oracle that you had disappeared and then we heard the report of an explosion at Arkham. Oracle traced the tracking device in Huntress's bike to here and since the Scarecrow has now been spotted at the casino, we thought you might still be here."

"Where's Batman?" asked Robin.

"He's busy attending to a situation at Arkham," replied Alfred, "You caused your fair share of trouble this time."

"Alfred, you have to get me back to that casino," said Robin, "Cass is in danger and we have to save her."

"Then we don't have time to stand around here talking," agreed Alfred as he walked out of the house and back towards the car, "Get inside and stay down to avoid suspicion." Robin did as he was told. He was still shaking a little from the fear gas but the antidote would clear it up. He patted the pocket in his belt where the Deuce antidote was located. Maybe things were finally going to look up for a change.

XXXXX

They were nothing more than rats scurrying back to their holes. However, the Scarecrow would give them no such relief. He dispatched with the terrified goons in a quick and ruthless manner. They were just obstacles in his way. His true prey had yet to show his mangled face.

"Where is Two-Face?" demanded Scarecrow as he grabbed one goon by the collar and drew the man's face ever closer to his own, "I want him now!" The thug screamed in terror, the cry of fear dying down into small whimpering sounds.

"Tell me!" shouted Scarecrow.

"Basement," cried the thug, "Basement!" Scarecrow tossed the man aside and stared at the carnage around him that was covered in the smoky film of his fear gas. The equipment in his mask allowed him to walk around unharmed by his terror toxins. It helped add to the illusion that his very presence put the fear of God into everyone in the immediate vicinity. He was the reaper and it was time to collect his due.

"Thank you, gentlemen, for a very pleasant warm-up," said Scarecrow with a bow and a tip of his hat as he entered the elevator, "I hope that your boss is equally engaging." The only response was one last, lingering scream from one of the goons before the elevator doors closed and Scarecrow descended down into the basement. He checked the atomizers in the sleeves of his outfit and made sure they were prepared. He opened his coat to reveal a cache of scythes and sickles of varying sizes. All of them were poison-tipped, coated with terror toxin that would seep into the victim's bloodstream through the wound inflicted by the blade. The other side of his coat held a small rack of more spray cans full of fear gas. He was a walking arsenal of all manner of fear-inducing devices.

"Down in the depths I shall creep," said Scarecrow as he watched the numbers on the elevator, "and when I arise, it will be like coming up from Hell itself."

XXXXX

Her whole body ached again, a dull and painful throb that made her want to whimper. However, Cassandra Cain's enemies had already derived more satisfaction from her pain than she wished to give them. She wasn't going to add any more onto the pile.

"I bet I wouldn't normally stand a chance against you," said Two-Face as he held up a vial of Deuce, "but that addiction's got you hurting all over. You're probably in too much pain to try anything stupid with me. Just take out Scarecrow and I'll give you what you want." Cass staggered to her feet after she had fallen to the floor from being relieved of the gurney's restraints.

"Give it . . . to me," she hissed coldly, "Give me . . . another shot."

"Not till you rip the stuffing out of the Scarecrow," assured Two-Face, "I wanna hear _him_ scream for a change." Her body hurt so badly but there was a hunger in her, almost inhuman. She felt like an animal, a starving animal that needed sustenance. Two-Face picked the wrong person to turn into a junkie. If there was anything Cassandra Cain knew, it was how to survive and how to take what she needed to do so.

"You listen to me," sneered Cass as she suddenly grabbed Two-Face by the throat, "I hurt. I hurt all over. I'm going to make it stop." She began choking Two-Face, squeezing his throat like her hand was a vice.

"You shouldn't," rasped Two-Face, "You shouldn't . . . be able to do this."

"You're too slow," said Cass as she grabbed Two-Face's wrist and wrenched the vial from his fingers, "I thought I was clear." She kneed Two-Face in the stomach and forced him to the ground, reaching into his coat pocket and grabbing the syringe from him. She quickly filled the instrument with the dose of Deuce and then stuck herself in the arm with the needle. She almost groaned with pleasure as she felt the burning sensation race through her body.

"_That's the spirit, Cassie,"_ hissed Cassandra, the evil side that she had thought she had exorcised from her during her exile, "_Let's do what we were born to do."_

"Stop hurting me," hissed Cass as she tried to control the impulses that she was feeling inside her. She wanted to kill someone. It was the only other thing that made her high. She remembered how it felt to fight against Shiva and some of the League members. She didn't have to think. She didn't have to speak. All she had to do was move, move like she knew she was meant to. It felt like being herself.

"_I'm not the one doing it, Cassie,"_ assured Cassandra, "_It's him. It's him and Scarecrow and all the others. They always want to hurt you and Tim. Take them out. Stop the pain."_ Cass looked at Two-Face as he moved to get back up.

"No," said Cass as she kicked him in the ribs, "You stay on the floor!" She kicked him again for good measure, loving the feeling of finally being the victimizer instead of the victim.

"Two-Face!" snapped Scarecrow, "I want my Delirium back!" Cass turned and it was all the distraction Two-Face needed for him to pull out his gun and hit her in the back of the neck with it.

"You can see I'm a little busy right now," explained Two-Face, "I didn't expect you to get out, Crane. I guess that was bad luck on my part."

"You stole my drug," stated Scarecrow, "You stole my plan. I want justice."

"Cry me a river," snorted Two-Face as he pointed to the acid-scarred side of his face, "You want justice? Get in line!" He leveled the gun at Scarecrow's face but just as his finger squeezed the trigger, Cass grabbed him at the knees with a leg-scissor and took him to the floor. The shot buried itself into the ceiling and the noise muffled the curse from Two-Face. Scarecrow whipped out a small, hatchet-sized scythe from his coat and moved forward as Cass got back to her feet.

"You're in the wrong place," assured Cass as she blocked Scarecrow's swipe, quickly moving her arm to grab his wrist and disarm him of his weapon in seconds. She could feel the itch still. She wanted so badly to kill him and Two-Face. They would only keep coming back if she didn't. She and Tim would never be safe from monsters like them.

"You've gotten a taste of my poison," said Scarecrow as he tripped Cass while she was distracted, "I can see it in your eyes."

"_Are you going to let him do this?"_ hissed Cassandra, "_Are you going to let him kill you and then lose Tim forever?"_

"No!" shouted Cass as she moved her feet to block Scarecrow's hands as the he attempted a vertical slice with a much larger scythe. The declaration was more directed at her evil other than at the enemy she was currently facing. Cass knew she had to get away. Killing was just killing and no excuse would make it the right thing to do. She wasn't going to become a murderer again and no amount of toxin would make her take anyone's life, even if they probably deserved it.

"Perhaps you would rather let my Delirium peel away the layers of your mind like an onion," sneered Scarecrow as he forced his blade closer to Cass's face, "You would welcome that terror, wouldn't you?"

"I'm not like you," assured Cass as she kicked Scarecrow backwards and then got back to her feet. She had to run even though every instinct inside her screamed at her to stay and fight. There was no way she was going to risk killing someone.

Cass turned and ran back into the main room, making straight for the stairs that would take her out of this nightmare. She could hear the sound of footsteps behind her and she wondered if they were real or if the drug was still screwing with her.

"_You're a coward,"_ sneered Cassandra, "_Our parents would be ashamed of you. You could take him out in one move and yet you still hesitate. Every time you choose not to act, you increase the chance of you and Tim getting killed."_

"That's not me!" snapped Cass as she staggered up the steps. The drug was starting to wear off and the pain was coming back again. Her legs felt incredibly weak. The footsteps were still coming. Cass pressed forward and threw her body through the doorway. She laid there on the carpet for a second to catch her breath.

"Fear catches up with you in the end," assured Scarecrow as he came up the stairs and into the casino, "However, you'll soon find yourself in good company." All activity in the room came to a screeching halt as everyone saw Scarecrow enter the room. There was dead silence for approximately five seconds before a woman screamed. The scream seemed to catalyze everyone into an immediate state of panic. The fact that Scarecrow let a batch of fear gas bombs fly didn't help things.

"Really bad night," mumbled Cass as she tore off part of her dress and used it to cover her mouth and nose. It wasn't as good as a gas mask but it would do given the circumstances. She tried to find cover and clean air while Scarecrow jumped on top of a blackjack table and began wreaking havoc while making sure to grab anything of monetary value he could find. He didn't plan on continuing to use this casino once he was in control of the drug ring so he decided he should milk to present situation for all it was worth. Plus he never got tired of seeing people panic. That in itself was like a drug to him.

"Damn," muttered Two-Face as he stepped into the room and saw the panicking patrons. He quickly retreated back into the stairwell to avoid the fear gas. He quickly flipped on the fan system in an effort to try and clear out the gas. Most of his hired help had been dismantled by all the unwanted guests he'd received this evening. However, though the risk was high the reward was even higher. If he could manage to knock off Scarecrow then everything would still be going his way.

XXXXX

Robin idly wondered whether or not they should just hang a sign on the Wild Ace Casino and rename it Arkham Asylum. At least this place didn't have a gigantic hole in the wall like the asylum now did. He really didn't want to think about what was going to happen when he finally got back to the Batcave. Alfred had dropped him off away from the casino so as to not draw suspicion. From the drop-off point, Robin had swung his way to the casino. Currently he found himself hurtling through the air towards one of the casino's windows. There would be no time for finesse. He simply crashed through the window and landed on his feet on top of a roulette table. He immediately noticed that there was gas in the room and quickly put on a gas mask.

"Great," muttered Tim as he saw that the room was in a state of immense panic, "This night just gets better." Robin spied Scarecrow and quickly flipped off the table and tackled the maniac.

"I see you survived my little surprise attack," said Scarecrow as he flipped Robin over him and pulled out two sickles.

"I should've known not to trust you," said Robin as he landed on his feet and pulled out his staff.

"Yes, love does make us do the most insane things," mused Scarecrow, "But is that love, dear boy, or just fear that you feel?"

"Like you would know the difference," said Robin as he began scanning the room, trying in vain to find Cass and make sure she was okay.

"You assume there is one," shot back Scarecrow as he came at Robin. He swiped at Tim's throat with one sickle while chopping at his knee with the other. Robin maneuvered his bo to stop both attacks at the same time. The clank of metal or metal mixed with the screams as Scarecrow spun and attempted to separate the upper part of Robin's body from the lower part. Robin jumped upwards, flipping over Crane and tagging him in the back of the head with his staff. Scarecrow stumbled forward and regained his footing, turning and swiping again at Tim's throat.

"Everybody loves a two-for-one deal," assured Two-Face. Robin flipped sideways as he heard the sound of the rounds being discharged. Scarecrow quickly scrambled in the opposite direction to dodge the shots. Two-Face kept one of his guns on Robin while the other one was squarely pointed at the Scarecrow.

"I had almost forgotten about you," confessed Scarecrow, "I'll correct that mistake now."

"Not if I get to him first," assured Robin as he tossed one of his R's at Two-Face, taking one of the guns out of the picture. This action caused Two-Face to turn his remaining gun on the Boy Wonder. However, that meant he didn't have Scarecrow covered. Both Robin and Scarecrow charged at Two-Face, Robin ducking and weaving through shots.

"Time and circumstances force me to do this quickly," explained Scarecrow as he slashed for Two-Face's throat. Robin moved his staff to deflect the strike.

"Thanks for the save, kid," said Two-Face as he quickly punched Robin in the kidneys and took him down. He looked at Scarecrow and grinned devilishly. Scarecrow looked back and realized the exact same thing as Two-Face did.

"There's no reason why I can't split the profits with you," assured Two-Face, "and I think we can split something else too."

"Indeed," agreed Scarecrow as he kicked Tim in the ribs, "Who gets to kill him?"

"We settle that like men," stated Two-Face as he pulled out his coin.

"A true gentleman," said Scarecrow snidely, "I'll give you the pleasure of calling it."

"Gentlemen all around," declared Two-Face with a grin as he pointed his gun at Robin while Scarecrow used his foot to pin the boy to the floor. Two-Face turned the coin over in his fingers and savored the moment before flicking it in the air with his thumb.

"Bad heads," said Two-Face before catching the coin. Scarecrow nodded in agreement. Two-Face held out his hand and showed Scarecrow the coin. Unfortunately, Crane never got the chance to read it since someone suddenly tackled him to the floor.

"He's with me," assured Cass, "and both of you are going down."


	6. The Final Hand

Double or Nothing (Part Six)

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. This is the conclusion so everybody R/R and send it out with a bang.

Cass had provided the distraction. Robin moved his leg to knock Two-Face's arm away, causing the shot the maniac just fired to become buried in the carpet instead of in Tim's chest. Robin quickly rolled backwards to get back on his feet and make sure that his opponent was still in front of him. He looked to Cass and could tell that she wasn't performing up to her usual standard of excellence. He also knew that she wasn't the type of person to let something like that keep her from her job.

"The cops are going to swarm this place," stated Robin, "When that happens, both of you are going straight back to Arkham."

"Not tonight, kid," assured Two-Face as he leveled his gun at Robin, "Tonight's the night we take both of Batman's kids out and rule this city."

"I think you've sampled some of Crane's poison," said Robin as he ducked under the shot, moving towards Two-Face and smacking aside the gun with his staff. He figured he'd let Cass get her fill of the Scarecrow. She probably would've loved to rip him apart since he was the one who had created the drug in the first place. Tim mentally checked himself and hoped that she wouldn't rip him apart literally.

"Better be careful about playing with sticks, boy," sneered Two-Face as he blocked Robin's bo and quickly turned the staff back into its owner's face, "You might put your eye out." Robin took the metal pole in the face and stepped back. He wondered how much Batman had taught Harvey so that Dent could watch over the city.

"You've gotten better," said Robin as he came at Two-Face again, "Those lessons from Batman must've been good ones."

"Maybe better than what you got," mused Two-Face as he blocked the staff again and quickly disarmed Tim in one motion, "Only one way to find out."

"I thought there were two ways for everything," shot back Robin as he moved low and jabbed Two-Face in the stomach.

"That's my line," reminded Two-Face as he blocked the next punch and gave Robin an uppercut. Robin took the punch and then turned his backwards momentum into a spinning roundhouse that connected with Two-Face's jaw, sending the crook sideways and into a blackjack table.

"Cass, I've got the antidote," assured Robin as he looked over to where Scarecrow and Cass were dueling. He could tell she was in pain and it wasn't just from the fight.

"Perhaps you do, perhaps you don't," reminded Scarecrow as he ducked under Cass's kick and tripped her, "That all depends on how much you trust me, dear boy." Robin muttered under his breath as he jumped and hit Scarecrow in the jaw with a flying kick.

"Hey," said Cass as she looked at him from her position on the floor.

"Hey," replied Robin as he smiled at her, "Here." Robin gave her the vial of serum that would supposedly take away the addiction she had gained. He turned and took a punch to the jaw from Scarecrow. Cass quickly scrambled backwards and rolled into a small alcove where she could have a few minutes alone. She stared at the vial.

"_It's not going to make me leave,"_ assured Cassandra, "_You think that drug is the reason I'm inside you? I was always here and I always will be."_

"You're not me," hissed Cass, "Not anymore."

"_I could be again,"_ said Cassandra, "_We would've killed both of them by now if you had let me do the job. Let me take care of this and then you and Tim can live forever in happiness."_

"No, _you_ and Tim," said Cass, "It won't be happy either." She unscrewed the top on the vial and prepared to drink the concoction.

"_You trust Scarecrow more than me?" _asked Cassandra, "_Really, Cassie, I'm crushed. If you can't trust yourself then who can you really trust?"_

"Better I die than turn into you again," stated Cass as she shakily brought the vial to her lips. Her body was fighting against her, knowing that she might take away the burning inside her. The voice in the back of her head screamed at her not to do it. Cass drank the formula, downing the whole vial.

"Gross," hissed Cass as she coughed and felt like she was on fire from the inside. The searing pain shot through her whole body and then faded into a numbing sensation after a few seconds. The gnawing hunger inside her dissipated and she felt the control she had once had over her body now return. She turned and saw Robin roll into the alcove with her. She didn't flinch at the gunshots that nicked the edge of the wall they were using for cover.

"Are you back?" asked Robin.

"Yeah," replied Cass.

"Good," said Robin as he suddenly kissed her quickly, "I was really afraid I was going to lose you for good."

"Never," assured Cass confidently, "Plan?"

"I think backup just came," said Robin as he peeked out from behind the wall and noticed that there were lots of lights outside. He figured the police had finally shown up. With the attention of both Two-Face and Scarecrow diverted from them, Robin was pretty sure he and Cass could get the drop on them and take them out.

"Move now," ordered Robin as he sprinted towards Two-Face. Cass followed behind him, intent on taking out Scarecrow.

"_Better not get too excited about that, Cassie," _sneered Cassandra from inside Cass's head, "_You never know what might happen."_ Cass shook the voice away as she saw Scarecrow turn and swipe at her with a sickle. Her mind was moving two seconds ahead of Scarecrow's body. Cass ducked the telegraphed attack and hit him in the throat with her fingertips. The blow made Scarecrow reflexively choke just like she knew it would. By the time he had already felt the bile in his throat, his hand was missing the weapon it was previously holding. By the time Crane had swallowed the bile back down, Cass's foot was in his face.

"You've got one ace," said Two-Face as he drove his knee into Robin's stomach, "You wanna go for the pair?"

"You're not getting away," assured Robin in between breaths. Two-Face didn't bother to stick around to hear what Tim had said. He was already making a mad dash for the elevator that would take him up to the roof.

"I can take him," assured Cass as she sprinted after him while Robin watched the police finally break through the door and begin flooding the place.

"Right behind you," muttered Robin as he gave chase. He told himself that the reason he was backing Cass up was because she was still recovering from the effects of the drug. The real reason was that he was afraid of having to save Two-Face from Cass if she got too violent.

"Stairs," said Cass as she watched the elevator doors close with Two-Face inside. She quickly moved towards the door and jumped, kicking it in. She didn't even bother to stop the forward motion. The second her feet hit the floor, she started running up the stairs. Her body felt more alive now and it felt like an eternity since she had felt like this. She wanted to catch up with Two-Face and hurt him for shooting her up with that drug.

"_You can't wait to beat him senseless, can you?" _asked Cassandra, "_You can't wait to wrap your hands around his throat and squeeze the life out of him."_ Cass couldn't deny that she felt the desire to get a little payback. She could still feel the remnants of her addiction, the gnawing hunger that had threatened to consume her. He had put that in her without her consent. He had violated her. He deserved everything that was coming to him. She intended to give him exactly what he deserved.

XXXXX

"Figured you'd be the one to come after me." The second she barreled through the door to the roof, Cass felt a hand hit her in the back of the neck. It was a precise blow, the kind that people used when they knew what they were doing. She had heard what Two-Face had said to Robin. Batman had given him training when he was Harvey Dent and Gotham needed a protector. They weren't that much different now, she and Two-Face. Both of them had failed Batman. Both of them had earned the trust of the Dark Knight and then had thrown that trust in the garbage.

"You're through," assured Cass as she turned to face Two-Face. She rubbed the back of her neck where he had hit her before taking a fighting stance.

"We already flipped for it," assured Two-Face, "Harvey wanted to just run away. I figure there's still something worth salvaging from this thing."

"Who won?" asked Cass.

"Take a guess," replied Two-Face as he came at her. Cass could see it in the way he moved. He had definitely had some training, more than the average criminal would have. However, that didn't mean he was anywhere in Cass's league. He led with a right cross that Cass easily blocked. She grabbed his wrist and flipped him over Judo-style, slamming his back against the concrete of the roof. She moved to strike but his foot rammed up into her jaw.

"Not bad," admitted Cass as she rubbed her jaw and backed off while Two-Face got back to his feet.

"Harvey and I share everything," assured Two-Face, "Everything."

"Too bad I'm better than both of you," said Cass simply as she came at him. She kicked high which he ducked under. That had been her plan. The leg quickly folded in and then straightened out, this time aimed at Two-Face's stomach. The kick caught the maniac in the gut. Cass wasn't finished yet. She hit him with the same snake-style strike that she had given Scarecrow before finishing it with a roundhouse across his jaw, the move that she had gone for the first time and had known that he would block.

"_That's good, Cassie,"_ said Cassandra, "_Now you know what you have to do."_ Cass breathed hard and stayed her body from following through on its impulses.

"You think I can't tell what's in your eyes?" asked Two-Face as he wiped the blood from his mouth, "You're split in half just like me." He saw it when she was drugged and he saw a glimmer of it now. There was another person living inside Cassandra Cain, a person that was more than likely her darker half. Two-Face knew all about how that went. Most people had another side to them. He and Harvey were more synchronized these days but he still knew that most people fought against their other half.

"No more talk," assured Cass as she hit him in the jaw again, "You've done enough tonight." Two-Face took the blow and staggered backwards, positioning himself closer and closer to the edge of the roof.

"C'mon, let's see what you're really made of," jeered Two-Face, "Let me see how ugly you are underneath that pretty face."

"_He deserves this," _assured Cassandra, "_He deserves everything he gets."_

"I'm not like you," assured Cass as she kicked him in the throat to shut him up. Two-Face choked but still stayed on his feet.

"You think Bats can accept you like this?" asked Two-Face as he pointed to the bad half of his face, "You think he'll let you protect his city when you're torn apart just like me?"

"I'm not you!" shouted Cass as she grabbed him by the throat. They were so close to the edge now, in more than just the literal sense. It would be so easy to just dangle him off the edge and let him go. He deserved it for bringing out the demon in her that she thought she had exorcised. Everything would've been fine if he didn't have to inject her with his poison.

"Not according to the Bat," gasped Two-Face, "According to him, you're just as ugly as me."

"I can change," stated Cass, "You can't!" Her grip around his throat tightened as she stepped closer to the edge. She felt his feet leave the roof and dangle out into space, his body suspended in the air by her effort alone.

"_They'll never change," _hissed Cassandra in Cass's ear, "_If you want to be safe with Tim then you have to take control. You can't let the law handle him. Make your own law."_

"A little conflicted?" asked Two-Face with a grin as he saw the struggle in Cass's eyes. At some level, Cass knew it was true. The law would coddle him. The law would allow him to escape so that he could hurt more people. The law was soft. She had a better law, a better way of making sure criminals didn't harm innocent people.

"_Drop him!" _hissed Cassandra, "_Do it and earn the happiness with Tim that you want."_

"Cass!" Cass turned and saw Robin standing there staring at her. She felt ashamed as she looked into his eyes and then turned back to Two-Face.

"This is justice," stated Cass as she threw Two-Face over her shoulder, slamming him onto the roof but keeping him alive, "Learn it." She looked up and saw Tim smile at her as she moved towards him and hugged him.

"I knew you wouldn't do it," said Tim as he kissed her forehead, "I believe in you."

"I know," replied Cass, "Can you . . . take me home now?"

"Yeah, I can manage that," assured Robin with a grin.

XXXXX

His body was bruised and battered but he still wasn't beaten. Scarecrow had slunk off into hiding once Robin and the girl had gone after Two-Face. He figured that Robin owed him one for Crane letting him have the antidote. Scarecrow decided that his escape would be the perfect way of Robin paying him back.

"Don't think we're through though, Robin," muttered Scarecrow as he managed to make it out of the casino before the cops could arrest him, "I still want to hear you and your girl sing for me." He would come back for them later. First he needed to find a new hideout since the security of his old one had been severely compromised. No matter though. Such things could always be fixed. What was important was that, like all good contemporary horror films, the monster was still out there watching and waiting for the chance to terrorize the innocent once more.

XXXXX

The car was silent as it wound its way through the dimly lit streets of Gotham City. It was bordering on sunrise and that meant that it was time for all bats to be indoors. Batgirl watched the city pass her by through the window of the Batmobile as the car headed for home.

"How have you been feeling?" The question didn't exactly shock her but it surprised her nonetheless. She knew that Bruce Wayne had changed since the year he'd taken off with Dick and Tim. She could tell he was different. He wouldn't have bothered to ask her that question before.

"I'm . . . okay," assured Cass as she peeled back her mask and looked at him. It had been a few days since the incident involving Scarecrow and Two-Face. Batgirl wasn't sure if the drug was completely out of her system. She occasionally felt a pang or two but those had been lessening each day. Cass assumed that eventually it would go away completely.

"You did a good job with that case," said Batman, "It doesn't mean you're off probation but still, you did a good job." Batgirl nodded her head as a sign of thanks.

"What did Two-Face tell you?" asked Batman. Cass wondered why exactly he was being so talkative. She never knew him to be like that before.

"He told me about Harvey," explained Cass, "You gave him . . . the city. It hurt him when . . . when you didn't trust him."

"Harvey was a very good friend," said Batman quietly, "I let him protect my city even though he had done a lot of bad things. I suppose I let my faith in him blind me to that."

"You wanted to . . . give him a chance," said Batgirl, "It's not wrong."

"I trusted him even though he had once been a criminal," stated Batman, "I accepted him back with open arms. Maybe I should've done the same for you."

"You do your best," assured Cass quietly, "It's not wrong . . . to not trust. Don't worry about me. I won't leave." Batman flicked his eyes to meet hers and almost smiled. Almost. It was enough to make Cassandra Cain think that maybe he trusted her again.

XXXXX

Tim Drake sighed deeply as he gently tossed the sponge into the bucket and watched it land with a plop into the water inside. He was certain this violated some sort of child labor law. It was then that he painfully remembered he was no longer a child anymore and was now an adult in the eyes of the law. That meant he couldn't complain to social services about this.

Tim continued washing one of the Batmobiles, this being the third one that he was in the process of washing and waxing, with another sigh as he took a rag and began polishing the car. Thanks to his little fiasco with Scarecrow, he was enjoying a month of grounding from all things crime-fighting as well as helping Alfred with all the chores for that month. There was also the extra sparring sessions he had to endure against Bruce once his chores for the day were completed. While some may think he was getting off lightly, getting smacked around by Batman every day for a month wasn't exactly what Tim considered a light sentence.

Tim was really considering calling a social worker and complaining about slave labor when the Batmobile currently in use pulled into the cave and came to a stop. He felt his mood lighten as he watched Cass get out of the car.

"You can wax that one tomorrow," said Batman as looked at Tim, "Get some rest, Tim. You've still got more work to do."

"I know," replied Tim as Batman went to change out of his costume and then go up into the mansion, "Any luck on finding Scarecrow?"

"Not yet," replied Bruce, "He'll turn up sooner or later and we'll be ready when he does." Tim nodded silently as Bruce went upstairs, leaving him and Cass in the Batcave looking at one another.

"This really sucks," whined Tim. Cass just gave him a smile and kissed him on the cheek as she moved behind the screen to change out of her outfit.

"Tim?" asked Cass while she was still behind the screen, "The Scarecrow thing . . . you did that for me?" Tim looked at her as she came out from behind the screen in a set of black, satin pajamas that she had bought when she had returned to Gotham. He thought she looked really good in them.

"I shouldn't have," admitted Tim, "I took a huge gamble and I was lucky enough that it worked out. I went completely against everything just because I couldn't stand the idea of losing you. Funny thing is that I'd do it all over again too. I'd do anything for you, Cass. Don't you know that by now?"

Cass smiled too and blushed slightly. She really did feel unworthy of all this love. Part of her was still struggling with the notion that Tim had forgiven her for all her mistakes and all the things she had done wrong. She still couldn't believe that she deserved him.

"I love you, Tim," said Cass as she kissed him. Tim wrapped his arms around her as he returned the kiss. She loved him for coming after her when she was lost in the dark. He loved her for finding her way back into the light. She loved him for throwing out all the rules when it came to her. He loved her for wanting to play by the rules just to win back his trust even when she didn't need to. They loved each other because of not only who the other was but also because of who they were when they were around each other.

"I love you too," whispered Tim as they separated.

"You care if . . . I stay over?" asked Cass with a grin.

"You really enjoy pushing your luck, don't you?" asked Tim as he took her hand.

"Anything for you," assured Cass as she let him walk her back to his place, "You're worth the risk."

"So are you," agreed Tim with a smile, "So are you."

XXXXX

(Author's Note): That's all, folks. I'm thinking of writing a sequel to this to make the entire saga a trilogy. Be sure to keep looking out for it and review it if it ever comes along. Thanks.


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